Statements in Debates
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wish to table the following document, entitled “Communities and Diamonds: 2010 Annual Report of the Government of the Northwest Territories under the BHP Billiton, Diavik and DeBeers Socio-economic Agreements.” Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I’ve taken every opportunity to meet with industry. I’ve also met with the federal Minister of Transportation. Certainly, this is high on our list. We’re not going to do this alone. Any opportunity and every opportunity that comes our way, I think we need to take full advantage of it. We will get somewhere by working together with industry and with the federal government. That’s how I intend to move forward with this. At the earliest opportunity, I will try to get together with the Sahtu Explorers Group and start to outline some ways that we can work together collectively on the advancement of...
I’ve got the information pertaining to capital upgrades on that highway, and there is some money that we’ve got going forward. On the detail on the maintenance side of things, I will endeavour to get that level of detail for the Member.
Safety is our number one priority, so again, if the Member feels there are maintenance issues on that section of highway and he wants to bring that to my attention, I would be more than happy to look into those concerns for the Member and for the community.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to echo your comments to Ms. Boullard. Thank you very much for your service, and I recognize her attendance here today. As well, Ms. McLeod, best wishes in your new position. I’d also like to recognize Sonny MacDonald. Sonny is a well-known, skilled artist from Fort Smith and he’s been a huge contributor to the arts and craft industry here in the Northwest Territories. It’s an honour to have him here in the gallery today. I also wanted to recognize Lydia Bardak, Yellowknife city counsellor. I also see Arlene Hache, I’d like to recognize. As well, a constituent...
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yes, we would look at deploying those signs where we need to, but in the advance of technology we’re also keeping our website up to date for the travelling public. Oftentimes now that’s the first place people look to for information. That is on our website and it’s updated, especially with the situation taking place in the Deh Cho and affecting those communities and our roads and our ferry system, it’s important that we’re updating that continuously. That’s one place the Member could possibly look. Thank you.
Mr. Speaker, again, as we move forward, I think whether or not we need a food strategy per se or to be part of a larger piece like the Economic Development Strategy or many of the other support mechanisms that the department has for locally produced food and agriculture in the NWT, it certainly is something worth some consideration, though. Thank you.
That is a good point, and I believe we need to work collectively. I need to work with my colleague from Municipal and Community Affairs. It could, in fact, be a big part of the Economic Development Strategy that we’re going to continue to pursue here in the Northwest Territories, so that we can find ways to grow the agricultural industry here in the Northwest Territories. I agree wholeheartedly with the Member on the importance of getting that sector more pronounced here in our territory, and I’ll do what I can as Minister to make sure that that happens. Thank you.
Yes, we will do that. Thank you.
Over the weekend the website was updated on a continuous basis. It was updated because of the situation that was happening with the Liard River. As far as weather, we have somebody on every weekend updating the website. If there are events that are happening in the territory, I would expect that we’d have somebody available to update that website. I can get that level of detail for the Member on how that happens and when it happens. Thank you.