Mr. Speaker, how will the new Energy Plan reflect the needs and the realities of small communities such as Kakisa, a community that needs back-up power?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I make this statement on the need for back-up power in the community of Kakisa. Kakisa is supplied electrical energy through Northland Utilities and the diesel generator is situated at Dory Point. Recently the community had a power outage and there was no back-up power. Impacted by that unfortunate predicament that the community was in, you know, the impacts of electrical power impacts the core of the costs of living. My question is to the Minister for Public Works. I understand that the Government of the Northwest Territories plans to develop a new Energy...

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the residents of Kakisa were left in the dark earlier this year when the power went out in the community. Northland Utilities distributes power to Kakisa from a diesel generator plant at Dory Point. It's believed that the lines were knocked down by heavy snow. Some people were away from their homes at the time and came back to find their houses frozen up costing hundreds of dollars to repair damages from frozen pipes. Mr. Speaker, the transmission lines were repaired, but if the power goes out again there is no backup. As government moves forward with another...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Can the Minister comment on possible opportunities for the Northwest Territories stemming from the federal government's commitment to get remote communities off diesel, especially in terms of getting financial support for renewable energy projects? Mahsi.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, earlier I spoke about the very bad condition of the road, the access road, from the junction of the Pine Point/Fort Smith highway to the Hay River Reserve. We all understand that jurisdiction is about sorting out who's responsible for what in terms of the context of this road. In that exercise there's negotiation that goes on. Within that party there's usually the GNWT, the federal government, and in this instance is the K'atlodeeche First Nation. The other element to this is that sometimes we get bogged down by red tape and it stops us from doing meaningful...

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Mr. Speaker, we talked about a number of things including the Hay River Reserve Access Road. The deteriorating condition of this road was raised as a matter of growing concern to people living on the reserve. Mr. Speaker, the road in question is the access road leading from the Pine Point/Fort Smith Highway junction into the reserve. This access road is a key artery into the community. Yet despite its importance, it has been allowed to fall into such a state of disrepair that people are complaining about it on Facebook, and I'm receiving calls from...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in the meantime as we wait for the dryness of the summer to set in to help adhere to the conditions for repairs to the road that could be made, what kind of reply would the Minister make in terms of the travelling public that have sustained damages to their vehicle? Mahsi

If the department is responsible for the work, what are the major barriers to getting this road repaired?

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. I would like to recognize my constituency assistant Ms. Trisha Landry and welcome her to the Legislative Assembly. Also, at the same time, other constituency assistants that might be in the gallery, plus the members of the public. Mahsi.

You know the people that are most affected by this as I indicated or stated, Mr. Speaker, are the motorists and the residents of the reserve. If I can't have reassurances, can the Minister give to the travelling public that go from Hay River and onto the reserve or from the reserve onto town? What are the immediate actions to ensure that the repairs are done to the road? At what point would the Minister commit his resources of the department to ensure the road is repaired?