Tom Beaulieu

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yes, we have met with NTCL as a Department of Public Works. A lot of the discussion did spill over into my responsibilities as Minister of Transportation. They had offered some solutions to the problem that occurred this year and we’ve agreed to include them in our multi-modal Transportation Strategy. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. As to a bit of a response, I’ll have Nicole provide the majority of the response. What we’re asking for here is just a change in the term. The legislative proposal presented here today is the legislative proposal that is trying to put the least impact possible on an individual that is affected by layoff. Currently, this legislation reads that the individual has to be laid off and everything else is the same. If we’re going to make change in this legislation, that’s not something that we’re proposing, that’s outside of our legislative proposal here today, then we would...

Mr. Chair, we are not aware of the term “layoff” being identified in any of our legislation.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The money would be carried over to the next year.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Yes, I do.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The responsibility for navigable waters and dredging and so on in any of the waters is the responsibility of the federal government. However, we have invited NTCL, the main carrier that goes from Hay River up the Mackenzie along the Arctic Coast to participate in our multi-modal Transportation Strategy.

As far as the docks go, we used to receive money for docks. We don’t receive that anymore. We do put some money into docks through our Community Access Program and help some small communities with docks.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. With me today is the deputy minister of the Department of Transportation, Mr. Russell Neudorf.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As we head into this year’s heating season, I would like to take this opportunity to update Members on the energy conservation work that the Department of Public Works and Services has been doing.

As Members know, with our northern environment, energy conservation and management are important elements in controlling costs and supporting effective and efficient program delivery in all communities of the Northwest Territories. Our government’s investments in energy efficiency and alternative energy solutions are reducing our dependence on fossil fuels, lowering our...

Mahsi cho. We have supported the road recently and we, at one time, had requested infrastructure stimulus funding through the federal government. Unfortunately, that was denied. We recognize that the community needs that road. It’s got huge benefits to the community as it would ultimately run to a gravel source. The full cost of that road to make it accessible for hauling would be $90 million. It’s fairly substantial. So we recognize that we may have to go outside of just a simple Access Roads Program in order to continue to fund this and produce that road in a decent time.

So, as I indicated...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to recognize a couple of Tu Nedhe residents here with us today. They are here for the Cultural and Heritage Awards from the Minister. Rene Fumoleau was awarded the Individual award. He’s from Lutselk’e. Representing the Deninu K’ue First Nation with the Minister’s Choice Award is my cousin Stanley Beck. Thank you.