Tom Beaulieu

Each year as we do the winter roads in all the areas, as we do in Sahtu, we have winter road teams. After the indication from the Member that the roads were particularly rough going into Fort Good Hope, we’ve deployed a winter road team. They’re looking at the worst spots, and we’re going to put some water on the worst spots and we’re going to grade it. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The department is looking at this legislation and considering two options. The first option is to create stand-alone legislation, in which case the department would like to see some disclosures and how the disclosures have been based. The disclosures are based on the misuse of public funds, an illegal act, gross mismanagement and a substantial and significant danger to health and safety or the environment.

Since we had the memorandum of understanding signed with the UNW, we’ve had one safe disclosure. Because it’s restricted to that area, we’re thinking maybe that’s why...

Mahsi cho, Mr. Speaker. Today I would like to send my deepest condolences to the family and friends of the late Tobie Antoine Marlowe and the late Vanessa “Dzee Dzee” Marie Marlowe. Tobie and Vanessa were both raised in Lutselk’e and lived together for over 17 years and both tragically passed away in the home community of Lutselk’e on Tuesday, February 10, 2015.

The late Tobie Antoine Marlowe was born December 10, 1978, and passed away at the age of 36. Tobie was adopted by the late Pierre and the late Helen Marlowe. He was the youngest of two brothers and two sisters. Tobie was raised in and...

We will do what we can to try to fix the road up, maybe pay some special attention to that portion of the road. We noticed on our drive there, about half of that road is in pretty good shape. So we’re probably talking about 60 to 80 kilometres of road that is rough as we get nearer to Fort Good Hope.

What we can also do is have the indication of the number or any of the people that need to be contacted to address winter road issues on the website. Then I’ll have the people attend to that winter road website to ensure that the contact people are there for this weekend. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I believe those can be done. The Member and I talked about that when we were on the winter road and the department also noted that the kilometre markers were non-existent and they felt that it was important that those be put in. We have the two guys up there now working on the winter road, plus the supervisor. So, I’ll have the department look into placing them, maybe not one at every kilometre, but in strategic locations throughout the winter road.

I don’t have the number for the dredging of the Hay River port, although we do have that number at the department. I don’t have the number here with me. I don’t believe we have a number for all of the dredging that would be required for the entire waterway where the company out of Hay River would haul freight. I don’t have that full number, but I can let the Member know what the number is for dredging the Hay River, our estimate. Also, we can get estimates for other parts of the waterway. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yes, I have. Thank you.

One of the things that I have been discussing with the department has been the value of a retrospective analysis and determining whether or not it is beneficial to do a retrospective analysis. We have a functional bridge that is doing what it’s intended to do. It was built within the allowable budget that was agreed to in the House. We’re looking at that and we’re determining whether or not there is some value. I realize that the Members want to see a retrospective analysis. I am trying to determine whether or not there is some value in that.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. There are a few deficiencies on the Deh Cho Bridge that we are continuing to repair. We believe that the bridge is very, very close to addressing all the deficiencies, although we will probably continue to always do a little bit of work on the bridge. After that, my understanding is that there was a commitment to do a retrospective analysis of how the construction of the bridge went. At this point we are looking at the possibility of doing that.

As the Member knows, we’re very approachable; the department is approachable. When we get information from Members, we do try to attend to the areas that are in the worst condition. We know that we don’t have the money to improve every section of that road to what the members of Sahtu would like to see; however, we’re addressing the worst areas.

As I indicated, we’re approachable and we do want to fix the roads to the best of our ability with the money that we have. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.