Michael McLeod

We certainly can share the report that has been compiled with the Member. It takes into account all of the issues that are being raised, including some of the work that was done on cost analysis, a cost/benefit analysis. The site on the river where ENR is currently located would cost roughly $4 million more to house the new hospital as we would not be able to co-locate, as the findings have told us, and we would have to move all the facilities off there and relocate and start anew with those facilities. But I’d be glad to provide that information in terms of what was taken into consideration...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The hospital, as the Member has indicated, has been on the drawing board for a number of years. A lot of work and effort has been done by the community and by ourselves, as Public Works and the people at the Health department. A number of sites were looked at over the last while. There were a total of 29 sites that were proposed as potential properties that could be used to locate the new hospital. All these sites were looked at and reviewed and it was narrowed down to two sites: one at the current ENR facilities, or where the offices of ENR are currently located, and...

Mr. Speaker, obviously we have a plan, since the Member is holding it in his hand. Mr. Speaker, I’m not familiar and I can’t say with any certainty what the actual plan for investment in this pit will be. I’d have to look at the situation, talk to my officials, and see where and when reclamation will be looked into and provided for for this pit. If that falls under our responsibility, then that will be part of our plan. Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, the municipality of Hay River was consulted. There were people from the hospital and people from the municipality that were involved. We do have a letter from the municipality that was signed off by the mayor, indicating that their preference for location would be the Sundog site. Our report looked at it on practicality terms, cost and other features that needed to be included in terms of what we needed to be part of this hospital and including further expansion. This was what the findings were. This is what was reported to us. Again, I will share that with the Member.

Mr. Speaker, the Member and myself did look at a couple of options that were proposed. The Sundog site has some concern over drainage. We have done some real preliminary soil sampling and analysis. Some further work has to be done and that will determine whether it’s suitable. But we are fairly confident that this is going to be the site that will be able to accommodate the new facility. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. First of all, I want to say I appreciate the Member’s efforts for working towards moving this project forward. I also recognize the Member for Yellowknife Centre for thinking outside of Yellowknife Centre.

Our Government of the Northwest Territories has been working quite hard to move the desire to have the highway done, the Mackenzie Valley moving forward. We certainly have been taking the planning of doing so very seriously and continue to make that a priority for us. We have now moved forward towards doing the project description reports for a number of sections on...

Thank you. That has been our challenge for many years to move forward on infrastructure in all the parts of the Territories. The road from Inuvik to Tuk has been pretty progressive, very progressive in terms of having the project description report done and submitted, and I certainly will commit to doing the same for this section as we plan to involve all parcels and all projects for the whole Mackenzie Valley road forward. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Department of Transportation is always looking for unique ways to move forward on large infrastructure projects. This Mackenzie Valley Highway is no different and we’d certainly commit to moving forward with all the people involved and interested in seeing this as a project that would provide economic benefit to people in the Northwest Territories. Thank you.

Thank you. I’d like to reassure the Member that we have taken every opportunity from all Members of Cabinet, including the Premier, to bring our projects forward. We feel there is a lot of potential in the Northwest Territories. There have been meetings with federal officials, there have been meetings with the Ministers, there also have been meetings with the Prime Minister. They are aware of our projects and we will continue to lobby and to meet with them to put our positions forward. Thank you.

We have put a lot of effort in moving this project forward. We’ve had many meetings with our federal counterparts regarding federal infrastructure, investment in our road. We all acknowledge that that’s a requirement and I will continue to work with all stakeholders and all partners in efforts to fund the construction of a project such as this. Thank you.