Frederick Blake Jr.

Will the Minister work with his colleagues in the Yukon to see what they do when they deal with overflow, Mr. Speaker? Because I travel to the Yukon, you know, on a yearly basis and it is pretty clear what they do. They put a heat trace line through their culverts that cause these sort of issues so they do not have these sort of problems.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I'd like to ask some questions to the Minister of Transportation. Mr. Speaker, I brought this issue up a couple of days back, which is the overflow at Georgetown. Mr. Speaker, as you know, with climate change, many of the regions are facing extreme warm temperatures. All this winter, even before Christmas, we have had melting up in the Mackenzie Delta, which started a lot of overflow up in my riding, two locations actually that I mentioned the other day. They are both creating a lot of damage. As you know, the Minister may be aware of all the work that is...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, it is good to hear. If everything goes well with his discussions, will the Minister ensure that heat trace lines are put in in these two locations for next year? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

It is pretty clear that safety is an issue, as we people know who are living just right where this water is flooding right now, Mr. Speaker. You know, this could have been avoided if a heat trace line had been put in these culverts. Whether it is bringing a backhoe there, will the Minister ensure that equipment is brought to this location? That way the people who are living there do not have to use chisels and shovels to do this work themselves.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we have a great need for jobs in the Mackenzie Delta. I am really disappointed that very few jobs have been created in my region in recent years. Our government could make a huge difference.

The employment rate in Fort McPherson and Aklavik is barely over 40 per cent. Only one community in the Northwest Territories has an employment rate lower.

The lack of jobs is a big reason that incomes are so low, Mr. Speaker. In one of my communities, 42 per cent of the people who have filed tax returns make less than $15,000 a year. It is very, very hard to live on...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, during our briefings, the Minister was planning to make this reduction and actually put it in the highway operations. Is that actually what happened? Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. O'Reilly. Minister Schumann.

Question has been called. All those in favour. All those opposed. The motion is carried.

---Carried

We have deferred consideration of this activity. Committee will now proceed to the next activity, found on page 239. Regional operations, operations expenditure summary, total activity, $126,995,000. This includes activity distribution on page 238 and information items on page 240. Before returning to the departmental total -- Mr. Testart.

Thank you, committee. We will try this again. Regional operations, operation expenditure summary, total activity, $126,995,000. This includes activity...

Thank you, Mr. O'Reilly. Mr. Guy.

Thank you, Minister Schumann. Any further questions, committee? Seeing none, we will now return to page 233, programs and services, operations expenditure summary, total activity, $28,420,000. Mr. Vanthuyne.