David Ramsay

Again, I don’t believe we are in a rush. I think we are getting a little bit behind schedule when it comes time to make a decision on procurement on the realignment of Highway No. 4.

Again, this project has been in the mix now for several years. Construction was to begin in the winter/spring of this year to be completed by this fall. We’re moving now to look at a construction start date sometime in April.

We need to find out the best way to maximize the benefits to the economy of the Northwest Territories. We’re interested, as your colleague Mrs. Groenewegen stated in her questions to me, in...

Yes, I think that’s an important part of this or an aspect to this. We need to talk to industry, as well, in preparation for a program, a pilot project, whatever it may end up being, but certainly, they’ll play a part in that. Thank you.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I appreciate the question. There are a number of contracts and I’d have to see what provisions are in those contracts to address acts of God or Mother Nature when blizzards come and communities are cut off for an extended period of time. I could certainly look into that and get some further detail for the Member on how that works.

I know our contractors did yeoman’s work in trying to clear the roads and get communities connected again during the recent blizzard up in the Beaufort-Delta, and they are to be commended for all the hard work. I know they put in a number of...

I believe in getting some work done very quickly on that and working with my colleague not just in ECE but my Cabinet colleagues. We’re going to have to try to find money as we go forward. If we’re going to do a pilot project or something to that effect, we’ll have to work with the Members and come up with a plan on how best to start that jewellery manufacturing. I could see it including diamonds and also other metals that are produced here in the Northwest Territories. I look forward to doing that. It’s something I really believe in. Thank you.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Again, I do appreciate the Member’s concerns in regard to Highway No. 7. On the $1.3 million that we do have for this coming season, as I mentioned earlier, that money undoubtedly will be spent early in the season and if the Member wants a commitment that that will happen, I would be more than happy to get the department to get a letter together indicating that the $1.3 million earmarked for Highway No. 7 will indeed go into work on that highway as soon as possible in the season and not in July and August. So that’s something I believe that the department and I can make...

The short answer is yes. This is an important aspect and will be an important aspect of a future economic development strategy here in the Northwest Territories that would include an industry like the fishing industry, again, so we can maximize the opportunities and get fish to market both locally and south of our border.

Thank you, Madam Chair. To the first point the Member brings up with migratory birds. I will talk to the officials with the department and find out the game plan going forward on when that contract may be let and if it can be put off to later in the year, I would appreciate the Member’s concerns and I’ll raise those with the department.

On the second question that was related to the access road and any further work that was going to take place there, I believe there is some more work that is going to be required. It’s, I believe, about $7.5 million and we’ll have to try to get this funding...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I thank the Member for the question. I think the department is very interested in finding a way to do just that. The FFMC has gone through a corporate review. There’s a meeting in a couple weeks’ time where some of these recommendations will be presented. There are jurisdictions looking to pull out. Back in 2010, the NWT fishermen voted to stay within that organization. I do think that, going forward, we need to find a better way to get things done and work with the fishermen and the industry here in the Northwest Territories to maximize those opportunities. Thank you.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I wanted to respond to Member Menicoche’s concerns once again. We are hopeful that the $12 million that we have spent over the past four years on Highway No. 7 will help to address past problems that we’ve seen with Highway No. 7. But going forward, the reality is we have $1.3 million. That’s all we have for next year. If the Member wants a commitment that that money will be spent early in the season, that’s something we can look at. My belief is it will be spent early in the season and we will undoubtedly require more money if the road conditions are such that we need...

We hear the concerns from the Member for Hay River South very clearly and it’s something that we’ll take under consideration.