Kevin A. Menicoche

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. The Department of Transportation has ongoing discussions with ILA to discuss permitting and fees associated with an application to access lands in ILA. Mahsi.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. In my one year as a Minister, I’ve learned quite a bit and that bureaucracy has a lot to play with here too. I would also like to share my funny story. My first act as a Minister in this government was to sign a letter to Mr. Kevin Menicoche, MLA for Nahendeh.

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I said, well, what’s going on and they told me that I have to finish a loop. But I, too, would just like to say goodbye to Mr. Handley, Mr. Dent and Mr. Bell, who I’ve had the honour and pleasure of working with and wish them the best on their endeavours. As well, to Mr. Braden who I’ve...

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Today I’d like to recognize the two Pages who are from Nahendeh who are with us here this week: Ms. Hilary Norwegian and as well as Ms. Tanis Browning. I’d like to thank them for their efforts and sure glad to see our consensus government hard at work. Mahsi cho.

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Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It is with great pride that, further to my Member’s statement last week, I acknowledge two additional marriages in my riding and my community of Fort Simpson. They are gentlemen and ladies all. Mr. John Balsillie to Ms. Laurie Fradsham, young professionals of Fort Simpson which our North desperately needs. Also, Mr. T.G. Wilson to Ms. Kathy Blondin, young students who will become our young professionals that our North desperately needs. Mahsi cho.

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Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I’d just like to say to the Member that it was my pleasure to accompany him to travel to the Sahtu region in July. It was great to be there and see the country and meet with the communities there, especially in Tulita. They were very concerned about the Bear River Bridge project and I indicated to them at that time it was once again due to inflationary pressures. So I had to red flag the project, we had to put it aside and we have to assess our current budget and the current federal announcements of new funding of how we’re going to best move this project...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Bear River Bridge project had to be delayed as of last year. We are assessing right now the new federal infrastructure money, how to invest it in our plans in the near future, Mr. Speaker. Thank you.

Mr. Speaker…

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…the Member’s asking for enlightenment and I’ll try my best to do that.

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He’s got to remember that the new Highway No. 3, there were some major realignments which means we had to cross some new sections; some of them had these ice lenses in them. So that’s what’s causing the slumping and erosion that’s going on to this date, Mr. Speaker. Also, because it’s a fairly new highway, it will take about seven to 10 years it’s estimated for it to settle and maintain that solid base. Thank you.

…numerous times and I just have to remind the Member, as well, that the Government of the Northwest Territories has invested millions of dollars over the past many years and the highway is now wider, straighter and safer overall. We continue to monitor any major concerns and we’ll address them as such, Mr. Speaker. Thank you.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Transportation takes concerns raised by the travelling public very seriously.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I want to assure to the Member that the money that was designated for the Bear River Bridge did not get reallocated somewhere else. Well, the money in the bridge program stayed in the bridge program for our roads north up the Mackenzie Valley, Mr. Speaker. Of the $25 million from the Bear River Bridge, that had to be reallocated to three other bridges on our Mackenzie Valley winter road system, Mr. Speaker, and that’s where the allocations got reallocated to. Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Once again, the Bear River Bridge is a priority in this...