Daniel McNeely

Mahsi cho. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, since our last Assembly sitting, the Sahtu has faced a very dramatic summer, starting with the cancellation of the marine river barging services and the concerning wildfires in Fort Good Hope, plus the evacuation.

Mr. Speaker, this issue or situation has created a large negative chain reaction of stress on projects, resupply, household food security, summer public infrastructure preparations for O and M, school supplies, and essential services. Most critically, it has impacted the availability of home and commercial heating fuel.

Mr. Speaker, the...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My last question to the Minister here, and I feel this is a very large, multimillion-dollar situation, and I don't feel comfortable in asking four questions on behalf of the Sahtu, but I'm going to ask my last one with some extra reserves for tomorrow. Will the Minister agree that this is a crisis emergency situation? Mahsi.

Mr. Speaker, following up on my statement here earlier today, my questions are to the Minister of Finance. I feel we have discussed this situation at length and are now comfortable to address for Norman Wells' high, high cost of living and fuel.

My first question: Will the Minister of Finance agree to cover the air fuel transportation costs to Norman Wells? Mahsi.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Is the Minister looking at temporary transfers from other jurisdictions or other regional office, say at the Inuvik office, to bring personnel down to help with the services required by various residents of the Sahtu? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions today is to the Minister of Environment and Climate Change. The Sahtu regional office plays a major role in assisting cabin owners, title owners on lands within that region. How many vacancies are there in that regional office? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, I request unanimous consent to conclude my statement.

---Unanimous consent granted

Thank you, colleagues. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I want to ensure this government's mandate and the SSI MOU maintains the Mackenzie Valley Highway as a priority for the current and future generations. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise in support of the budget here. We've started off the initiative towards the fiscal sustainability strategy back in February, and now we're at the end, and it never turns out in the interest of what we all expect, but I think we can all realize that there is passion in this Chamber. I feel confident in this leadership in moving on. Yes, we got to give today for tomorrow. And that compromise is what I'm going to be telling the community of Deline and in collaboration and working together and moving forward is exactly what I expect to receive. I've got to attend a...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And thanks for the opportunity to close the debate on this motion here. I additionally wanted to mention here if we look on the spirit of this Assembly's mandate to economic reconciliation with the Indigenous governments, here is one example how to do that and unlocking the Sahtu would mean that this region is 283,000 square kilometers, twice the size of the Maritime provinces, so you can see the potential within this area. And I would request a recorded vote there. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

WHEREAS the Mackenzie River Basin has been experiencing drought and low water levels since 2022, which has disrupted the re-supply of communities by barge;

AND WHEREAS the disruption of barging routes has created extraordinary logistical challenges and costs to deliver goods and supplies to impacted communities;

AND WHEREAS communities in the Sahtu region estimate over a collective $14 million in lost or delayed business opportunity, including logistical and shipping expenses as a result of the 2024 cancelled barge;

AND WHEREAS the Mackenzie Valley Highway has been a...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And thanks to the Minister for that information here. What are the department plans for recruitment? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.