George Nerysoo

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Further to my Member's statement, I'd like to direct my questions to the Minister of Infrastructure.

With the warmer weather upon us and the conditions of the Dempster Highway worsening there, I applaud the Minister on her infrastructure improvements project but there was no mention of Highway No. 8 in the upgrades or regular maintenance. What is the department doing at the present time to ensure the safety of the users of the Dempster Highway between Rengleng River and Inuvik? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. That's all I have.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Going on to winter roads, I see I notice increase from 2023 to 2024 actuals to 2025-2026 Main Estimates. In my region, we have one winter road that goes from Inuvik to Aklavik, and the access roads from Tsiigehtchic and the Peel River Crossing, has there been some -- due to climate change and, you know, the opening of the roads at a later date and closing earlier, has there been any reference to this in the increase in the budget to the actuals for the main estimates? Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. My questions are related to highway operations. We see an increase from 2023-2024 actuals of $107 million to $109 million. How much of this is geared toward the upgrade or maintenance of the Dempster Highway between, let's say, Tsiigehtchic and Inuvik? Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. With the tanker in question that went off the highway at the section around Rengleng River, there's signage on both sides of the river asking vehicles to slow down, and the signage is about 50 metres from the area where it's pretty bad, and the bigger trucks require more time to slow down but these signs are too close to the area. Will the Minister advise the regional department to make changes where these signs are further away from that section to give the bigger trucks more time to slow down? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today, I acknowledge a very determined young man from Tetlit Zheh, Mr. Deeron Vittrekwa. While bringing up a young family with his spouse Natasha, who just completed her business management program, Mr. Vittrekwa is in his fourth year of a four-year teacher education program at Yukon University. He will serve as a great role model to the younger generation in pursuing a career path.

I would like to ask my colleagues to join me in congratulating Mr. Vittrekwa on receiving an Indigenous language revitalization scholarship, and for his commitment to...

Thank you, Madam Chair. With the uncertainty of what Aurora College is going to do within the near future in terms of the community learning centres and what's going to happen with staff, if they do not decide -- if they do not come back with a plan that will meet the needs of the smaller communities, with this motion that we're going to be saying we're going to be using it for other initiatives. I think it's a little bit too early because, you know, we're having consultation with the board of governors and seeing what they say before we even know what they're going to do or they're going to...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today I would like to recognize two pages from my riding of the Mackenzie Delta. Elijah Smith and Sandy Dylan are both from Aklavik and attend Moose Kerr School. I'd like to welcome them to the Assembly and congratulate them on a job well done. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I try to listen but it's just being repetitive and, you know, going in circles. But the starts to education she stated that there has been some work done in regards to education the last three years, but I haven't seen any changes in the last ten years. And one of my concerns is socially promoting our children. I know there's some students -- I mean some parents who have concerns, and they -- they're more -- they're willingly -- they keep their children behind or worst comes to worst, they send them to another jurisdiction like the Yukon where they can get a better...

Thank you, Madam Chair. I'd just like to get some further clarification. We're putting our young students, young adults in a very bad situation. First of all, the education system is failing them. They have no place to go then to finish high school. It looks like they wouldn't be able to go to any upgrading for -- that's in their communities, so they'll have to move, and I think these young adults don't have -- haven't been out of their communities, and if they do find work, then they'll be clawed back by housing, so it's just a no-win situation. Is there any update on how the GNWT is ensuring...