Frederick Blake Jr.

That sounds great. Hopefully we have no other issues and if we do I'll have more questions for the Minister later.

---Laughter

I'd like to ask the Minister: what problems are causing the construction of the elders' facility to be delayed?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in February 2010, the Hamlet Council of Fort McPherson passed a motion supporting the construction of an elders' homecare facility in the community. The hamlet council and community members were very happy when this $3 million facility was put in the GNWT's Capital Plan. Construction was scheduled for 2015-2016. Like every other community in the Northwest Territories, Fort McPherson is challenged to provide appropriate housing for its residents. Our esteemed elders deserve comfortable and secure accommodations during their golden years. This nine-unit...

Just a few comments I'd like to make on our draft mandate here. As one of our former Members always said, we have 1,356 days left in the 18th Assembly.

---Laughter

That's referring to Mr. Miltenberger. He told me that last week and I just thought of that. A lot of good ideas we have here in our mandate. I'm hoping that, working together, we can accomplish many of these challenges that we have here in the territory, and I look forward to working with everybody here.

When can the people of Fort McPherson expect the work on this facility to be completed?

I can't stress it enough. All three of my communities depend on this Community Access Program, and I just want to emphasize the importance of this program in our small communities. It's more of a comment, but I sure hope that Cabinet could make those adjustments.

I realize the funds have run out for the Community Access Program for this year, but in the next budget, which starts in April, will the Minister assure the community that funds will be available through the Community Access Program to complete this project?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, many times in this House I have thanked the Department of Transportation for providing funding to the community of Aklavik for the Willow River project. Over the last two years, we have received funding from the department to purchase a bridge to put in place at Willow River. This bridge is now actually on site, but now the community needs funds to have this bridge in place and operational. The community is looking forward to the completion of this project so we can open up opportunities for tourism and also the community to go to have picnics or go hunting...

I realize the Minister is new to this position and he doesn't realize that to do the work that's needed has to be done with three weeks in April, that's in our new budget. Otherwise, it'll have to wait until next February or March to even start this work, which holds this project up by at least a year. That's just not going to work for the community. That's holding this project back. That's even longer the community will have to wait to progress with, whether it’s tourism or... But I'd like to ask the Minister, will the Minister ensure that, through the appropriation, that the Community Access...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in follow-up to my Member’s statement, I have questions for the Minister of Transportation. I'd like to ask the Minister: Will the Minister ensure the department will provide adequate funds to complete the final stage of our Willow River Bridge in Aklavik? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.