Calvin Pokiak

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today, I rise to speak on the Tuktoyaktuk-Inuvik highway. The deputy mayor of Tuktoyaktuk and I invited a number of MLAs to meet with the Minister of Transportation recently, and I thank them for attending. I also thank the Minister for hearing us out.

Once again, Mr. Speaker, the Tuk-Inuvik committee are planning to revitalize the committee. There is strong support to make this road a reality, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in a report by Ferguson Simek Clark in 1997, I know it is sort of outdated but, in the report, Mr. Speaker, a service road may be completed over...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I, too, am rising today to support the motion. I think it’s important, Mr. Speaker, that it needed to be considered; I’m glad it’s in there.

As you know, there is a lot of seismic and exploration activity going on right now in Inuvik and the Beaufort-Delta, so with that comes drugs and alcohol. So it’s important that the government open up a centre in Inuvik. With the coming of the pipeline now, down the road a lot of drugs will follow with it. I know of some cases in my community of Tuktoyaktuk, there are signs of drugs in there, so we have to find ways to tackle...

Thank you, colleagues. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Up in the gallery today I have a couple of constituents; Mervin Gruben, deputy mayor of the Hamlet of Tuktoyaktuk.

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Beside Mr. Gruben is Charlene Elias my newly-hired constituency assistant from Tuktoyaktuk. Thank you.

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Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would also like to recognize Mr. Richard Nerysoo, a former classmate of mine from years ago. It’s good to see him up there. Thank you.

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Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I seek unanimous consent to return to item 5, recognition of visitors in the gallery.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Recently, the NWT Housing Corporation has put some of their units for sale in the NWT; in particular, older units or units considered to be in need of major repair.

Mr. Speaker, there are, as I see it, two types of buyers for these units. Firstly, there are the elderly, who have lived in these units for 20 years or more. Once they purchase these units, they become responsible for the maintenance and upkeep of the units. I believe, Mr. Speaker, that, given the fact that these elders live on a fixed pension income, their purchasing the unit will create hardship for...

Can I call the meeting back to order here? Thank you. In regard to Mr. Braden’s guidance, I have been told that special warrants cannot be deleted. In effect, they are information items. Amounts for items not previously authorized may be deleted. However, a motion to amend the bill would be required in that instance. Thank you. Mr. Braden.

Thank you, Mr. Braden. I didn’t hear any question. Mr. Minister.

Thank you, Mr. Braden. Mr. Dent.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Again, is this going to be a concern? As I say, I can pretty well guarantee that Tuk will probably be one of the biggest traffic volumes. With past experience, as I said earlier, Madam Chair, they were flying seven days a week and landing in Tuktoyaktuk and flying out of there, totally bypassing Yellowknife and Inuvik in some cases. So again, how will the department, Madam Chair, ensure that we're talking about security, ensure that that's going to be in place if they're going to completely bypass Yellowknife in that regard? Thank you.