Denny Rodgers

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, last week, I had the privilege to attend the Council of Leaders. I was invited as chair of the accountability and oversight committee as an observer. I'd like to thank the Council of Leaders, the Indigenous leaders, our Premier and Cabinet for that invitation.

Mr. Speaker, I would say there's some kudos to be sent out. I think that certainly our Premier and his Cabinet did a great job in presenting to the federal Ministers. The Indigenous leaders likewise. It was very much a we are speaking with one voice, and I thought that was a great approach. And...

So the bill is not deleted, it's not gone, and it does not mean the committee has not done its work. The sponsor can still bring the bill into Committee of the Whole, Mr. Speaker. We have seen this done in this Assembly. We've seen it done in previous Assemblies. Our rules do not state we must report a bill back. Therefore, Mr. Speaker, I do not think there's a point of order here. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the Member from Yellowknife Centre put it eloquently enough, so I don't need to repeat all the reasons why he said. Unfortunately, Mr. Speaker, again, this is a victim of an unprecedented disaster, something we hadn't seen before. There are, I'm sure, many others out there, including Indigenous governments, who put a lot of extra effort in to assist the government in doing this and getting us through this. I don't believe Avens should have to endure this financial hardship. I believe it's a federal responsibility and, in my opinion, that's where the funding...

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, yes, and if you look at the sections that were redone on the Inuvik-Tuk Highway, certainly some of the sections that were redone on the Dempster Highway to enable -- again, resurfacing work that enabled that road to be able to withstand the rains that we get every spring and every fall so we don't have those conditions, so we don't have transport trucks coming in and almost sliding off the road, so we don't have this spine-rattling, shock-busting road that we get for that section coming into Inuvik that, you know, will create an hour-and-15-minute drive and...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I'm here for my annual report on the conditions of the Dempster Highway once again. Specifically, Mr. Speaker, the section from Rengleng River to Inuvik. I have received several calls, emails, texts, from community leaders, from business owners, from residents in the region -- as I know my colleague the MLA from Mackenzie Delta has as well -- on the condition of that road, Mr. Speaker.

Over the past few weeks, as is normal for this time of year, we've had a considerable amount of rain up there, and that section of the highway, Mr. Speaker, simply cannot...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And I think I almost got a commitment out of the Minister on that one, Mr. Speaker. Yeah, the issue is the amount -- I mean, and I've spoken to contractors. When you're putting a putting a small amount of crushed gravel, when it's one-quarter inch crush, you're doing it at a time of year where it's not appropriate. You're doing it in September; you should be doing it in June. You should get to working on this thing in June and maybe even looking when the ferry service is out, so you have less traffic to get out and build that road up. And that's the issue. And the only...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, continuing on with my Member's statement on the condition of the Dempster Highway, again specifically from Rengleng River to Inuvik. I know, Mr. Speaker, that the Minister is aware of this. I know I'm not the only one that's received letters and emails and texts from constituents and from businesses on this. So now that the Minister's had a little break and was able to take a breather, I'll ask the Minister of Infrastructure what plan do they have going forward to ensure that this section of highway doesn't continue to deteriorate and gets resurfaced to be...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Since we're on the topic of commitments, we love commitments and I certainly appreciate that, can the Minister -- big, huge commitments. Can the Minister please -- would the Minister commit to, then, as the previous Minister committed to, having this building code in place when we walk out of this building at the end of this 20th Assembly. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in my Member's statement, I spoke about a building code for the North. I would like to ask the Minister, given the number of units that certainly we are planning on building through our housing corporation as well as all the work that's being done with the Indigenous governments in my region and throughout the territory, can the Minister update this House on the work that's being completed by the working group to datez. Thank you.