Vince McKay

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. So, yes, I have met with the Minister for Transportation Yukon. We were in contact over the holidays. In fact, Christmas Day we were in contact over the closures, trying to assist Inuvik with their propane shortage. So we've been in contact numerous times to support the opening and keeping open the Dempster Highway. Unfortunately, climate change has been an issue. We all know that, and it's impacted our side of the highway, the Dempster Highway, and also the Inuvik ITH. So it's no different on the Dempster Highway with all the mountains and everything else, so. Yes, I...

Mr. Speaker, later today I will be tabling the first annual report on the Northwest Territories Emergency Management System covering the period of April 2024 to December 2025. This report gives residents, community governments, Indigenous governments, and Members of this House clear and transparent account of how the emergency management system is functioning, what improvements have been made, and where further work is needed. By reporting on our progress, we are taking an important step toward demonstrating improvements to the Northwest Territories emergency management system.

Mr. Speaker...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. There's plans in place to get this moving ahead but obviously with all the developments recently of the Department of National Defence investing in the area, there's a lot of work being done, it's had to, you know, kind of slow down a little bit to wait for the Department of National Defence. But, again, working closely with the Department of National Defence, plans are coming along to bring more plans, more stable plans, more, you know, financial plans to the whole strategic plan for the area. So hopefully we'll have something here relatively soon. Thank you, Mr...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Well, let's just say it's at its end of life. That terminal was built in the early 1960s. I so happen to fly home every once in a while, and there's actually a picture of the original airport in one of the terminals, one of the exit ways there. It's actually pretty interesting. But it is at end of life. It's been added on numerous times. So, you know, the building has done its work and a lot of the work's being done to plan for future development. So it is at end of life, and we've obviously got to keep that going with the developments that are going on, so there is...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. So all these plans have been going on for quite a while, long before my time, so it goes back to 2022. And, you know, obviously with the new development of, you know, the plans for building up the YZF airport, you know, there's been lots of work going on there so there's been public engagement that's been done with the area and for the people who use the airport. So a lot of the work that's been going on has determined that there is enough room. And until something otherwise from the Department of National Defence and infrastructure, currently everything is working as...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. So far, with the departments working together with DND, everything is aligning. You know, they've been working hand-in-hand to make sure that everything is going to work together. This has been going on for a while. You know, they've been working with the Department of Infrastructure for fully utilizing their land use plan for the strategic planning of YZF area. So, yeah, for now, it is working, and we'll continue to work. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I think it goes without saying, you know, when there's peak times there it's pretty busy. I think everybody has acknowledged that. When you have a certain amount of jets on the apron there, you know, it's at capacity. So there is a lot of, you know, things that have, you know, not being able to do what we can do there. There's also issues with the washrooms, and there's some work going forward to try to accommodate that. So although the facility has reached end of life and the area is at age, a lot of work is being done to help maintain the facility and the grounds...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yes, currently we do. I mean, obviously if there's bigger and better plans that come along with all the developments going on, it may not. But as it currently stands, there is enough room. You know, it's a little tight in some areas when you're dealing with cargo and stuff and, you know, different sizes of aircrafts. But currently, as it stands there is enough room within the area. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I could guarantee that that money, and then some, is going to be going to the travel and everything else at the Arctic Winter Games. So if we can get back to the Member, once the games are done and all expenses are out and you can see where all the money has gone, we can get all that information from Sport North and all the other organizations that might be dipping into my travel funds that go to the Arctic Winter Games. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It goes back to an old sports-related injury. Actually, so, basically, what it comes down to is we know that we've had some financial difficulties in the department with getting athletes to the games, travel costs, everything else, so, you know, I've got a few things going on also, so I've asked the department to take me off the list to travel there to help save money and hopefully use some of that money for the athletes and their travels. So some fiscal sustainability there. And also just to -- I will be attending the meetings, however, virtually, so there are meetings...