Rocky Simpson

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in December of 2020 we all received an email from a young lady, and she's in the audience. That young lady was Sierra McDonald from Norman Wells.

At the time she was a grade 11 student and was attending the FOXY Peer Leader Retreat, and she sent us an email as part of that program. And in that email, she posed four questions basically on treatment centres and why they are needed in the NWT. And it's an issue that we all struggle with. And my understanding, as Minister Chinna said, is that Ms. McDonald is off to university in the fall, and I wish her all the...

Thank you, Madam Chair. I just wanted to go to these culverts in highway reconstruction.

This spring we had a number of washouts on Highway 1 and which required some you know, a lot of labour and equipment. And I see with the culverts there, will some of that work take into account, you know, some of the issues that we did experience this spring, or is that going to be additional funds we'll be looking for? Thank you.

No questions, thank you.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Yes, I guess my concern I guess with this amount, it is a start, and I understand that, you know, the amount that we're going to be looking at is going to be substantially higher than this. However, you know, we have assessments that have been completed. I'm not sure if numbers have been put to them but I'm hoping that's going to happen soon. And if that does, you know, it goes back to pathfinders, my understanding, and they sit down with the resident and I guess come to some agreement that the number's good and maybe an advance.

So if all of a sudden, we get, you know...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I just want to talk about the $10 million that has been set aside for emergency response activities related to the 2022 flooding.

So is that I guess I'm trying to get a sense of if that amount was used during the, I guess the initial stages dealing with the flood, or is that amount to be used for I guess covering damages for people who have I guess who are victims of the flood? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

In favour.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we know that this project's going to, you know, be south of $700 million.

So Mr. Speaker, will the Minister confirm what discussions are taking place with the federal government to access the required funding and supports for the construction of the Mackenzie Valley Highway between Wrigley and Norman Wells? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I thank the Minister for that answer. I think it might have just about answered everything here. But I'm going to ask anyway.

Mr. Speaker, will the Minister confirm what is the expected cost to complete that portion of the highway from Wrigley to Norman Wells and what are the factors driving any increase in cost? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I'd like to actually thank the department and the Hay River Health Authority for having people available right off the start to talk to people, because what I found is that, you know, a lot of the people that were impacted, they needed, you know, somebody to hear their story. So I'd like to thank the department for that, and the Hay River Health Authority.

Mr. Speaker, will the Minister confirm how long we can except to have counsellors on the ground in Hay River to support those victims requiring mental health supports due to the flooding? Thank you, Mr...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, will the Minister confirm how many mental health counsellors are on the ground in Hay River and if the department has sent in additional counsellors from other communities? Thank you.