Herbert Nakimayak

Quyanainni, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my final question is: can the Minister speak on some of the ways the government has been preparing to mitigate the possible negative impacts of the highway, such as unforeseen major maintenance costs? Quyanainni, Mr. Speaker.

I appreciate the response from the Minister. Mr. Speaker, my second question is how is the Government of the Northwest Territories working with Canada as well as Inuvik and Tuktoyaktuk to prepare for the grand opening?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the Inuvik to Tuk Highway is scheduled to open in 2018. Canada will be connected from coast to coast to coast. It is an important milestone in the evolution of the north and is another change in the region that has experienced dramatic irreversible changes as the people of the Arctic move from the Stone Age to Jet Age into the digital age in a matter of a few generations. Soon we’ll be connected to the rest of the continent by an all-weather road. Mr. Speaker, in many ways it’s a good thing. It will increase opportunities for social and cultural interaction...

No. Thanks for the Minister for that. That’s all I’ve got. Thanks.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, my only question is for the authority allocation for the Beaufort Delta Health and Social Services. I see a decrease from last year. Could the Minister explain that, please?

Mr. Speaker, my third question is: have we considered ways to let all Canadians be part of how we are going to mark this historical event?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, earlier I spoke about the opening of the Inuvik to Tuk Highway and the questions are for the Minister of Transportation. Mr. Speaker, my first question is: can the Minister tell us about the current status of the Inuvik to Tuk Highway project? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, my next questions are: what are the Housing Corporation’s infrastructure priorities for the Nunakput region in the coming year?

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I’d like to welcome Mr. Les Carpenter, who is the CEO of the Native Communication Society and, also, he was board member of the Inuvialuit Regional Corporation and Inuit Circumpolar Council. Les has done a lot of advocacy work for Inuit, not just in Canada but internationally, as well, around the Inuit circumpolar world, so welcome, Les, and thank you for contributing.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Just getting back to what Mr. Nadli was talking about on conservation areas. I know there’s a few going on, and one in western Canada and one in eastern Canada as well too. The one in eastern Canada involves Canada, Greenland, the federal government, Nunavut. That’s just an example of how many different organizations, you know, can be sitting and negotiating on conservation areas. I hope that we don’t establish these conservation areas just to protect them from development, but also have the Aboriginal people... Like, there’s a lot of Aboriginal groups in my region. We...