Kevin A. Menicoche

Thank you very much. I just wanted to make the point that it was exceptionally dry this year and the highway was in good shape. I’m pretty sure that the tourism numbers are up on Highway No. 7. I just want to make the point that with continued effort and working on Highway No. 7 with reconstruction, we can continue to have a good highway system with Highway No. 7.

I’d like to ask the Minister if he can give me those tourism numbers as well as a commitment about some kind of strategy to advise tourists about Highway No. 7. Thank you.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Today I wish to congratulate the newly elected Village of Fort Simpson councillors and the DEA council. But firstly, congratulations to Mr. Mayor Sean Whelly, who was acclaimed as mayor of Fort Simpson. It shows the confidence residents have in him by returning him for a second term. Congratulations to the newly elected Village of Fort Simpson council members: Mr. Larry Campbell, Mr. Robert Hanna, Mrs. Leah Keats, Ms. Marie Lafferty, Mr. Ron McCagg, Mrs. Stella Nadia, Mrs. Renalyn Pascau-Matte and Mr. Tom Wilson.

I also commend those who were not elected, for...

Madam Chair, I move that we report progress.

---Carried

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. The situation in this case with the heavy equipment was that they were all pre-owned vehicles which did not work during the flood. They were looking at all communities should have at least like a track vehicle available to help with their needs.

Aside from that, I’d like to invite the Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs to come to Nahanni Butte this fall or this winter to see the community for himself. As well, we may even finally do a gymnasium opening ceremony in the community of Nahanni Butte. Thank you.

Thank you very much. Just along a similar line, I know that the Disaster Committee is evaluating loss for claims, et cetera. Maybe the Minister can correct me; but is there a deadline for this? Because I know that some of the repairs, some of the damages sometimes it takes three months, six months, maybe even up to a year for damages to show up. Is there a mechanism in our Disaster Relief Policy to address situations like that?

Just for an example, there were some housing repairs done and in my visit last week there was a woman homeowner. She said, well, since they repaired my house, my house...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The flooding in Nahanni Butte that happened this spring might not be making headlines anymore, but it still is very much part of the day-to-day reality of the residents of the community. I have heard from other communities that have had similar disasters, that it takes about a year to get back to normal.

After my visit of last week, I can surely say that life is still not the same in the community of Nahanni Butte. I want to commend the people of Nahanni Butte for their patience so far, and encourage them to continue being patient as they go through the rebuilding effort...

Thank you very much, Madam Chair. I’m pleased to review the infrastructure capital estimates for next year, but I do want to share a few concerns.

I know that we moved to doing our infrastructure for the next fiscal year early, but I’m still finding that in my region we’re tendering out capital projects in July and August. The reason that we did it almost six months earlier is so that it would avoid those circumstances. When that happens, especially with highway chipsealing or construction, then we end up constructing in the fall season. I don’t think that’s how we should be utilizing all the...

Thank you very much. It’s a concern that there’s no firm cut-off date, because these homes are still impacted by the flood, and I don’t believe there should be a cut-off date and hopefully the Minister can raise that with his department.

Also, just getting back to a post-mortem on the community, it was pointed out that I think they have one piece of equipment, a large piece of equipment that surely could have been used, but it was damaged at that time. Can I ask the Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs when they do their post-mortem, also to look at the heavy equipment needs of the...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is for the Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs. In my Member’s statement on the Nahanni flood disaster, I raised a few concerns, but I will be more specific later on in this session. I just wanted to get some idea about has the department began looking at a post-mortem report on the flood disaster and when can I as the MLA for Nahendeh begin looking at some preliminary report, or at least the report on the response actions and some of the things that happened at Nahanni Butte. Thank you.

Madam Chair, I move that we report progress.

---Carried

I will now rise and report progress. Thank you.