Kevin A. Menicoche

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. The Tlicho road studies and the $460,000 contribution from the federal government, and that’s exactly what we’re doing. It’s a study to assess the routes to the Tlicho communities. I think the important message here, Mr. Speaker, is that Tlicho communities will be getting seasonal roads in the long term, Mr. Speaker, and with or without the mines running through them, without the mine road running through there, and it will be a priority of our government, improving the access to all Tlicho communities and we will begin talking about it in the business...

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Indeed, we have, as a government, been advocating that getting a long-term road into the Slave Geological Province is a priority and we are working with the federal officials to that end. As well, there’s many different options available out there and we’re exploring them all, Mr. Speaker. Thank you.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I’m not quite sure if I heard the Member correctly, but I think he said we spent $100 million and I’d like to correct that. The government has not expended any money in air lifting freight over to the mining companies at all, but there is a joint venture with all the mines that have done an alternative transportation study and we are working with them to define what kind of role the government would have in that road, Mr. Speaker. Thank you.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. The developments in Nunavut are all part of the joint venture plans. It’s something that government is outside the process. It’s their initiative and if that’s what they would like to plan for and proceed with, they can do that. But as for ourselves, we have been working closely with the Tlicho chiefs and we have established the steering committee to look at the Tlicho road studies and we have been to the communities to advise them and discuss this project. There is a draft consultation plan, which we have yet to go over one more time and that’s the...

Mr. Speaker…(English not provided)

Mr. Speaker, the roads to the Tlicho area are very important and we have been working very hard with the Tlicho Government to that respect. We have set up a Tlicho Road Studies Committee and we have been meeting early in the summer and we do have another meeting planned for the last week in August. Mahsi.

Thank you very much there, Mr. Speaker. Our department continues to work with the joint venture study and our most recent meeting we had was in July. We met with the joint venture to look at their study. Their option is the seasonal over-land route, which is realigning the road off the lakes and streams so they can add more days for transporting their freight up to the mines. That’s the short-term solution that’s being offered and we are working closely with them, Mr. Speaker. Thanks.