Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question today is to the Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment, following up on my Member's statement there.
Mr. Speaker, February the 6th, my Member's statement were readiness for the Mackenzie Valley Highway. My question today is readiness for Imperial closure. My first question: Will the Minister support a joint Mackenzie Valley Highway and Esso closure readiness session in Norman Wells? We got a commitment for the highway readiness session. Now I want to bring two together. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Member from the Sahtu. Minister of ITI.
Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. And thank you to the Member. I know he was busy at work at these engagement sessions last week. I would say one of the things that's really critically important here is the timelines of these projects might be different as well as the business and trades needs of these projects as well. And so while there might be similarities, I think what we might find is that we might be able to be a lot more specific and a lot more purposeful in keeping these two projects separate. But I am certainly happy to work with the Member to see how we can kind of capitalize on some of those meetings to make sure that we're bringing together the right people at the right time. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And thanks to the Minister for that reply here. I look forward to working with her office on a joint arrangement.
My next question: Will the Minister direct the regional office to develop an impacts assessment report from community members through an interview? It's such a huge impact. You've got to hear it for yourself. It takes more than three minutes on a statement to capture the essence and the magnitude of the situation. Thank you.
Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in short, yes. When we were working last year with the community of Norman Wells when fuel was not received last winter, we made sure that we were talking directly to businesses in the region to understand those impacts. And so these weren't new relationships or new conversations at all. So certainly making sure that we're continuing those conversations and continuing to learn how we can work together on the next phases is going to be critically important. Thank you.
Thank you, Minister of ITI. Final Supplementary. Member from the Sahtu.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And thanks to the Minister for that reply here. It's extremely -- and I can't emphasize how extremely -- it is for residents of small communities to hear from the government. And for that, I respect the visits in previous months here by the government. My last question, Mr. Speaker: Next month the Minister of Infrastructure is touring the Sahtu by winter road. Can the Minister of ITI coordinate a joint hall meeting with the public on that timeline? Thank you.
Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, unfortunately my calendar does not align very well next month with the Minister of Infrastructure. But we do, as much as we can, work together and make sure that we're briefing one another before we go into communities, and so I can commit to the Member to ensuring that I am having conversations with the Minister of Infrastructure both before and after his visit, and I look forward to hearing all about his tour up the winter road. And I can also commit to the Member that I will be meeting with Imperial Oil next month as well. Thank you.
Thank you, Minister of ITI. Oral questions. Member from Frame Lake.
