Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, on August 30, 2025, the community of Tuktoyaktuk, an area along the Arctic coast, was hit with a post-cyclonic surge of water never experienced before in recorded history. The area endured record break in surge levels of 2.6 metres, almost 10 feet inland. Subdivisions within the community were cut off from essential services like fire, medical, RCMP, and utility services as their roads were underwater and blocked by massive piles of driftwood. Six major roads were quickly overwhelmed and damaged by high water levels. The community had been proactive over the last 10 years and built up the roads based on research and recommendations. We were very close to evacuating, Mr. Speaker. Our one road by the reservoir was eaten away by the storm surge, by half by the storm surge. The road leading to the hamlet garage was under water, so the staff had to come up quickly with an alternative route through airport lands. The airport instruments stopped recording the wind levels as the gusts were up to 130 kilometers an hour, and we saw water underneath our house, and 14 other houses were surrounded by water and compromised. We also watched many smoke houses and workshops being swept away from the storm surge.
After the storm, because of many roads being underwater, there are still massive piles of driftwood and debris laying throughout the community. The council met and through advice they decided not to declare an emergency at the time, not knowing that this is tied to territorial and federal disaster funding or thinking the NWT Association of Communities would cover their road and cleanup damage through an insurance claim. The council spoke to GNWT MACA and requested both cleanup and road rebuilding funds, but we're now told to look from within. A small community with limited funding is told to take care of themselves and not look to the GNWT for funding assistance and use their own limited funds to clean up from a major storm event.
Like any other emergency, including flooding events that happen in Northwest Territories, why is this community asked to use its limited funds? The community is told to look from within, put off paying down its own debt, and halt any shoreline protection projects while it continues to clean up from a natural disaster. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Member from Nunakput. Members' statements.
