Denny Rodgers

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Following up on my Member's statement regarding the state of the Dempster Highway these past couple of months, my questions are for the Minister of Infrastructure.

I know he's aware, obviously, of these closures. He would get those reports through his department. Can the Minister tell me if he's met with his counterpart in the Yukon and/or whether or not that meeting is scheduled to discuss the ongoing issues with the Dempster Highway. Thank you.

I'd be early, Mr. Speaker. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, Inuvik and indeed the entire Mackenzie Delta and Beaufort Delta regions rely on the Dempster Highway for vital supplies, from groceries to building supplies, fuel, and many other needed products.

Mr. Speaker, for the month of January the Dempster Highway was closed 18 days, 18 days where no transport trucks were able to deliver to its customers. Furthermore, Mr. Speaker, as of February 20th, the Dempster Highway was closed for an additional nine days. Once again, trucking companies that serviced the needs of my community could not...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, I move the Chair rise and report progress.

Thank you. And yes, that's good to hear and, I mean, I trust that as we move forward talks on getting a feasibility study completed that we're certainly letting the industry know that that is the plan, so they are aware, and obviously they will be involved with some of the information, but that they're aware early on that this is the intent of our government to do that, and I trust that the Minister will be engaging with that and that we do have the proper capacity set up staffing wise to have dedicated staff members to do that. And I am looking at the staffing. I note that there's, you know...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, committee wishes to consider Bill 33, Technical Safety Statutes Amendment Act; Bill 35, Miscellaneous Statute Law Amendment Act 2026; and, Tabled Document 448-20(1), 2026-2027 Main Estimates, Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And thank you for that. And, yes, I am aware; I know the Minister was very helpful during the closure crisis we had during the fuel delivery issue we had in Inuvik when the highway was closed. And I understand, yes, climate change is real; it's happening. It's happening on both sides of the border, but our contractors seem to be able to keep it open. I understand there's a little more mountainous areas on the other side. But 18 days is a long time. So does the Minister have any comments, or did he get any comments from his counterpart, the Minister of transportation in...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And although I don't have a list, so I run the risk of missing someone, I did hear some names that certainly I recognize from Inuvik, residents or previous residents. I'd like to recognize Anna Pingo, Adolf, Beverly Amos, Addie Smith, Debra English and Marla Pissuk. Welcome, everyone, to the Legislative Assembly. If I missed anyone, I apologize, but it's really good to see everyone here.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I want to use my Member's statement today to thank everyone for the important work we've completed over the past two-plus weeks. Sometimes it certainly doesn't feel like we've got that work accomplished but there has, indeed, been some good work done, and I'd like to thank the Members of the House for that.

A reminder to us all, Mr. Speaker, that there are still a lot of concerned citizens out there. We have a high cost of energy still, a high cost of food, and certainly we know that there are those struggling with addictions and homelessness, Mr. Speaker...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, the committee wishes to consider Tabled Document 448-20(1), 2026-2027 Main Estimates, the Department of Education, Culture and Employment. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, I move the chair rise report progress. Thank you.