Kevin A. Menicoche

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Earlier today I spoke about the condition of Highway No. 7. That’s the highway that runs from B.C. over to Fort Simpson, and of course the proximity community is Fort Liard. I’d like to ask the Minister of Transportation, can you please provide me an update about the status of the repairs to Highway No. 7 for this construction year? Mahsi.

Mr. Speaker, this now leaves Liard with one transportation company that provides service to the community. This certainly doesn’t reduce costs or improve services.

I am really interested in learning from the Minister later this afternoon about the status of this year’s work and his future plans of making sure that the highway can meet the grade needed. Mahsi cho, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Residents of Fort Liard often travel to Fort Nelson, like how Fort Simpson travels to Hay River for their shopping. Is there any way that the Minister can dedicate some resources to fixing the kilometre zero to kilometre 38, which is to Fort Liard, to a reasonable standard for next year? Up to and including chipseal.

Thank you very much. The Minister did raise something and I would like to thank him, yes, for being responsive and coming to Fort Liard immediately after I had a constituency meeting, to hear those concerns from residents. Can the Minister explain how will he ensure that the repairs to the highway are undertaken and completed so that next summer the highway is not labelled as “War Zone Road,” Mr. Speaker? Thank you.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. You’ve recognized Mr. Sam Gargan as previous MLA, and I would like to recognize him as well, our grand chief of the Dehcho First Nations. Welcome to the Assembly, Sam.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I rise today to support the motion. I think that the federal government was premature in cutting off the funding. Healing had just begun, people were just getting comfortable speaking out and having an opportunity to do so along with all the other people that they grew up with in the residential school system and their families. The second generation, the younger children, are just as impacted as well, Mr. Speaker.

In my own riding alone, I spoke in the House about taking down the Deh Cho Hall. It was formally known as Lapointe Hall. It was part of the...

Mr. Speaker, I am glad that the Minister was able to list some of the other projects in the riding. I am really pleased, certainly, that these projects are moving forward. I just want to get reassurance that it will continue to be moving forward. Mr. Minister mentioned about chipsealing Highway No. 1 and residents of Nahendeh are looking forward to that. I think it was 70 kilometres. Just with that, are there plans also to work on replacing culverts on a further 70 kilometres of Highway No. 1 towards Fort Simpson? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I just want to follow up on my Member’s statement and ask the Minister of Transportation some questions on some of the construction projects on Highway No. 1 and Highway No. 7 just with respect to the reconstruction on Highway No. 7. I think it was kilometre 166, the section that failed last spring. What work is planned for those areas and how much reconstruction will be done between the B.C. border and Fort Liard? Thank you.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. I would be remiss if I didn’t raise the subject of roads in this city in the Legislative Assembly. My colleague Mr. Krutko indicated that in his visit to Fort Liard, he heard that the solution was housing, housing, housing. But for the whole of my constituency as I travel, the issue is roads, roads, roads, Mr. Speaker.

The highways are an important link to the people in Nahendeh and throughout the North. Roads are the lifeline of our communities and so we are always concerned about them. I am pleased about the work that is going to take place in the summer: the chipseal work...

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I rise also to commend Tony for his outstanding work as our Commissioner for the past five years. I’d like to acknowledge his commitment and his charismatic nature. I think when he first became Commissioner he actually came up to me and said there’s one place I haven’t been to yet and it was Trout Lake. He did make it to Trout Lake and he did get to see Joe Punch in that community and I’d like to thank you for that.

I like Tony’s story. It’s about a dream that not only youth have, but any youth listening, I can say that dreams still come true. Tony told me this...