Kevin A. Menicoche

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I just want to rise and note the whole intent of our points of order is to bring order to the House and I believe that further discussion is not really helping our Assembly and our government as a whole. Mahsi cho.

Thank you very much, Madam Chair. As MLA with the most communities, as I travel to the communities the leadership often ask me about capital planning transfers. They’re very grateful for it and part of the New Deal is that the communities are able to make their own decisions about when and where to buy their capital or to build buildings, et cetera. They’re often a little leery about the O and M formula. I think I raised it with the MACA Minister in the last Assembly and I think they said there was some kind of review happening in terms of the formula financing for O and M. In fact, I think...

I believe that the Finance Minister, who’s got the strings for the financial purse, is not going to be mentioning Highway No. 7 in any of his statements. That’s my point. I’d like to ask the Minister of Transportation if he would get his colleagues to make it a priority and start mentioning it in this House.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I just wanted to follow up on Highway No. 7 questions with the Minister of Transportation. I did take note that yesterday the Finance Minister indicated some priorities in his ministerial statement and I was actually taken aback that Highway No. 7 wasn’t mentioned at all.

It is part of our national highway system. It is key and critical to the development of our Northwest Territories having access to B.C. and all the tours and industry that comes out of there. Especially if we are going to look at increasing the development in our region, a good highway system...

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Today I rise to honour one of my constituents, Mr. Wilbert Antoine, who works at Canadian Zinc Mining Corporation. He indicated to me that this month he’s celebrating 40 years in the mining industry.

He began his career in mining in 1971. He didn’t realize he was getting into mining; he thought he would take a short job. He ended up working for Cardinal River Coals in Alberta for 31 years. Upon completing that, he did move back to Yellowknife in July 2002 and spent six years with BHP Ekati Diamond Mine and he thought he was going to retire there. He made a trip...

Thank you very much, Madam Chair. I move we report progress.

---Carried

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wish to speak about investment into Highway No. 7 or the lack thereof. My residents and constituents are disappointed that Highway No. 7 is nowhere on the GNWT’s fiscal roadmap this coming year. Residents know that the highway infrastructure is key to economic development in the Nahendeh region. Recently re-elected Chief Deneron heard this very clearly during his campaign. The road conditions isolate the people of Fort Liard. It is easier to drive to B.C. for goods and services than to Fort Simpson. By leaving Highway No. 7 out of its plans, dollars flow out of the...

Thank you very much, Madam Chair. I move that we report progress.

---Carried

Thank you very much, Madam Chair. Yes, we will.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I will certainly look at getting that information on the 20-year needs assessment to see if it is indeed on the capital plan. In my Member’s statement I asked just that, is that we start planning. It is important for me to see that on the capital needs assessment. Just one more time if I can ask the Minister if he will commit to have that plan perhaps sent to my office so I can review it as well. Thank you.