Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to recognize two of my pages, Colton and Kobe Alexie. Welcome to the Legislative Assembly, and I hope you are having fun this week. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

You know, just to be fair, I think we should have the same price throughout the Northwest Territories. Everywhere I've travelled throughout my riding, there are wolves everywhere. If you go 10 miles out of the community in each direction, there is a pack of wolves, so it's pretty clear that we need action. I know there is a good incentive we have now, but just to be fair, to bring it up by $700, I know we may have to ask for a little more funding through the department, but I believe that that is a good investment because that is to help with the populations of moose, woodland caribou, and...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in follow-up to my Member's statement, I have a few questions for the Minister of ENR. I mentioned how we have a huge wolf problem throughout the Northwest Territories. I've even heard it from my other colleagues throughout the Mackenzie Valley. I'd like to ask the Minister: will the Minister encourage his department to open up the bounty to the same level in the Beaufort Delta as it is here around Yellowknife? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, throughout the Northwest Territories, the wolf population has exploded. This has taken an effect on our caribou populations as one wolf kills on average 35 caribou per year. For all we know, this may also be the reason why the Porcupine caribou are mostly staying in Alaska and the Yukon. It is difficult to say because we don't have people living on the land throughout the fall and winter like we used to.

At the moment, the Department of ENR is doing a pilot project with a wolf bounty to help the Bathurst and Bluenose-East caribou herds. Hopefully, we have...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, yesterday in Tsiigehtchic was the election for the Gwichya Gwich'in designated Gwich'in organization, or DGO. I would like to congratulate our newly elected president, Julie-Ann Andre, and also our council members, Darius Andre, Mavis Clarke, Renie Koe, Bobbie-Jean Van Loon, and Shelly Van Loon.

I am looking forward to working with you all as we work together to ensure we have what we need in the community of Tsiigehtchic. Congratulations once again, and I wish you all the best in your leadership roles. Mahsi cho, Mr. Speaker.

Bringing in this equipment actually didn't save us any time. We actually just finished the ice bridge, like, two weeks ago. If I didn't say anything, they would probably still be working on it now. You know, I know the department is trying to do the best they could, but will the Minister ensure that next year the community is given support to providing employment for their workforce?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as follow-up to my Member's statement, I have a few questions for the Minister of Infrastructure. As I stated in my statement, Mr. Speaker, we are taking a lot of employment away from the community of Tsiigehtchic, not to mention Fort McPherson. At times, we even hired a number of people from the community there when we didn't have enough. I would like to ask the Minister: why did the department decide to bring in their equipment to be used at the Mackenzie River crossing? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, it sounds promising. You know, in the past, I have even worked on that ice road when I first started working. You know, the workforce they have set up in the community, they work pretty hard all through November until mid-December. Usually, by the 20th, they have everything opened to 50,000 kilograms, which is required, and then they let Mother Nature do her part.

Mr. Speaker, it seems to me the department doesn't seem to support providing labour employment but would rather bring in equipment that actually took longer and at a higher cost. I would like to...

I can just answer that right now because I have come from Tsiigehtchic. I know what is there. We have a Sno-Cat, Bombardiers, which I think they brought out of the museum. They are so old, you know, this equipment, that they are barely running. I think that is where all the cost is coming from, is because to find these parts, you know, price must double or triple or something. What cost savings is the department making by using their own equipment compared to past years?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, today, I have a concern from Tsiigehtchic on how the department is micro-managing the ice bridge construction in Tsiigehtchic.

In the past, the contract with the community was to supply all labour and equipment needed to complete the work. We have seen a huge shift in how this work is done since a decision was made to extend the ferry service during the winter months. The department at that time even brought a number of their staff and equipment from the South Slave region to work with the community.

Since then, Mr. Speaker, the department now uses their own...