David Ramsay

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I do know that the Government of the Northwest Territories has highway emergency learning protocols in place, and these describe responsibilities, by region, as to who will respond to emergencies on our highways, and these protocols are developed in partnership with our Department of Transportation, MACA, the Department of Justice and also Health and Social Services. As to the exact level of training of, say, a grader operator, they would certainly, I think, have different training than our highway patrol officers would have. But I could certainly get back to the Member...

As I mentioned, we have staff. They are multi-tasking on a number of economic initiatives here in the Northwest Territories. Certainly as things progress, and if we do have dedicated staff that are working in the area of agriculture on a day-to-day basis, it would certainly make sense for them to be located in Hay River.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’m going to have to be very nice on my answers to the Member here today, considering she’s going to be grading us tomorrow. We have met with Ms. Milne when she was here in Yellowknife and my understanding is she is coming back to Yellowknife, I believe, on March 5th. Our department, and hopefully myself, will be able to meet with her again. We are anxious to see her progress with her initiative and help out in any way that we can.

As I have mentioned a number of times in the House, we are moving forward with negotiating the Growing Forward 2 Agreement with the federal...

The only demand involving lands outside of municipalities is coming from Hay River. We have met with the Town of Hay River and the Territorial Farmers Association. They are looking at 300 acres of land within the municipality for agriculture, and our officials have spoken to both the town and the TFA and offered support in trying to find a way forward for utilization of that land for agricultural pursuits. We will continue to do that. There is also interest in Fort Smith and Enterprise, as well as Yellowknife for land for agricultural use. We’re continuing that dialogue as well.

Thank you very much. I’ll get that information for the Member. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We continue discussions with the Tlicho Government on the winter road realignment and trying to identify monies going forward to allow us to carry out that work. As far as the road the Member talks about to Fortune Minerals, nothing has been decided in that case. Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, last week we learned of the tragic loss of two truck drivers and serious injuries to a third person as a result of a collision between two commercial vehicles. Our thoughts and prayers are extended to the families and friends of those who perished and to the survivor who is now recovering from the injuries sustained in the collision. This is a tragedy that has had a devastating effect on the families and loved ones involved. Our condolences go out to those affected by this terrible event.

I want to acknowledge the efforts of those who were first on the scene and rescued the...

Thank you. The Member would know the Government of the Northwest Territories is not in a financial position to spend $150 million on a road to Fortune Minerals. That’s not something that we have the financial wherewithal to accomplish. I’m not sure who the Member is speaking to at Fortune, but I will talk to the folks at Fortune Minerals, and the next time they are in Yellowknife, I will set up a meeting through the Member and have Fortune Minerals sit down with the Member and his committee, and I’d certainly make myself available to attend the same meeting so that we’re all on the same page...

Mr. Speaker, in my role as Minister of ITI I do meet frequently with industry representatives. I have met with Fortune Minerals a number of times in the past. Certainly, a road to the project is really fundamental to the project going ahead.

We haven’t signed any agreements. We haven’t entered into any negotiations on a road. None of this has happened. It’s all, I guess, just guesswork on the Member’s part. When that does happen, you can rest assured Members of this House, the Member and his committee will know about it. Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, oil and gas development has the potential to grow and diversify the Northwest Territories economy, a key priority of this government. Nowhere has this reality been more apparent than in the Sahtu region. Today I would like to give this Assembly an update on the activity in the Sahtu over the past few months and the plans for moving forward.

More than $600 million in work commitments has been pledged for the region over the next few years. As the busy winter work season draws to a close, early indications are that this has been a successful one for the local businesses and for the...