Daniel McNeely

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Following up on my statement, my questions are to the Minister of Infrastructure.

Can the Minister of Infrastructure share with anticipation whether there will be a Sahtu regional sailing reason, what actions are taken with or by MTS and Cooper Barging discussion. Masi.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I hope all colleagues is having an enjoyable spring. Mr. Speaker, I took the opportunity as recently as this past week where my wife and I drove through Fort St. John, BC, home to the Site C hydro dam facilities, a stunning and massive structure. This is also one of three facilities on the same Peace River. These are controlled waterways for commercial returns. Mr. Speaker, our journey continued to include sites at the Petitot-Liard River junction. Again, we witnessed another sight of low water conditions.

Mr. Speaker, these two areas are the head watersheds...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And thanks to the Minister for that information. I'm glad to hear that there is a preliminary sailing season, hopefully sailing season discussions.

The Minister answered my next question, so I'll skip that one there and add another couple more. If water levels permit, will the Minister, to avoid and detect hazard areas, will there be a water depth surveillance crew accompanying the barges? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I, too, rise to pay an honourable recognition of Robert (Bob) Douglas born in Fort Good Hope, and I'm glad to see the family in the gallery and the granddaughter Tanya Roth to the family as well. And Mr. Douglas is still talked about in high regard with the efforts he made in contributing to the community at the time there when he was living and working in Fort Good Hope. So I never met the individual, but I hear some remarkable stories, and it gives me pleasure, as I said, to pay my contribution. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I too would like to recognize deputy minister Steve Loutitt and all the wonderful work and support he has given the department, particular to the Mackenzie Valley Highway and the other projects. And additionally, I would also like to recognize, on our last day of the session, the hardworking staff of the Assembly and our interpreters. I hope you enjoy the break, spring. Mahsi.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This policy is a revised policy from the 30-year-old one. And I've seen a number of changes in the positions, northern Indigenous positions, in the Sahtu. I recall years ago we never had a regional superintendent from the region. Now we do, so that tells me that things have changed since way back then. However there's always room for improvements on efficiencies, and certainly similar to this policy and every policy that this government has, it's only good as the implementation. And if you want to measure that success, then we can do a survey, an analysis on the...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the winter snowfall has not been at levels we had hoped. I fear the Sahtu will suffer the same disastrous low water levels that forced Marine Transport Services to halt all shipping to Sahtu like previous summers.

The communities of the Sahtu rely heavily on our winter road system and summer marine transportation for essential supplies. When either of these critical transportation networks fail, our communities face costly consequences. Mr. Speaker, what happens if we cannot complete all scheduled deliveries before the winter road closes? What happens if...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I too will be voting in favour of the budget. Recapping, before I continue, I would pay respect to all the previous presentations from my colleagues on this side of the House and the other side of the House. And when I look back at the very beginning of the Minister of Finance's announcement 13 months ago on Restoring Balance, that was the approach that we took, and knowing through experience there's going to be some hard decisions to be made. And the cost overruns have really got to be reflected to the hardships faced by the Sahtu region, particularly during last...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And thank to the Premier for the explanation for that previous question.

My last question, can the Premier explain the mandate of the envoy position and specifically say whether this will be a permanent position within the Premier's office or just temporarily support head of the federal election. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Further to my statement, my questions are a follow-up and directed to the Premier. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Premier has said the territory is in discussions with the federal government to push for tangible action like competitive mining incentives and a strong federal partnership. What work is the senior envoy doing to support the economic mandate of the Assembly at these discussions? Mahsi.