Wally Schumann

We have no plans to have subsidized freight rates. I believe that the purchase of us buying these assets has helped lock down uncertainty that would have been brought to this industry and supplies to the northern regions of the Northwest Territories. I cannot tell you exactly what the rates are, but I believe, I think, we are following the rates from the previous sailing season.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. For Members of this House and those listening, if you look on the Public Works website, there is a tentative sailing season already posted. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

As I said yesterday, I haven't heard any of this. This is the first I have heard of it from the Member. If he has people who would like to talk to me, we will sit down and have a conversation.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to ask the Member to be a little bit more specific. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The broad overall objectives, the one thing we've got to remember: this is our very first Agricultural Strategy in the Northwest Territories. What we are trying to do with this strategy, what other people have done in 20 years, we are trying to do it in 10 years. It was part of the mandate to try to grow the agriculture sector. We see it as an economic development agenda. We have heard that in community engagements, along with all these other things that are implemented within the strategy. This is a blueprint of what the communities, the growers, the farm people in the...

The Department of Transportation has a budget for the grand opening in November, and the other two are going to be through sources funded through other allocations and different departments, including, probably, the federal government.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The contractors are working out there right now. They have 3.5 kilometres of embankment that they had to finish in the centre section of the highway. With that work, there are roughly 147,000 cubic metres of material that will be put in place to finish up those 3.5 kilometres. They had eight culverts to finish up, and two bridges, and all that work is nearing completion this winter. Moving on into the summer, operations have surfacing gravel, which will include crushing, stockpiling, and laying out the gravel, then finishing up the guard rails, signage, and such for the...

The Government of the Northwest Territories made a commitment in its mandate to increase exports by promoting NWT products to international markets. I rise today to update my colleagues on recent activities supporting this commitment.

I am pleased to inform Members that, following a long and concentrated lobby by our government and its partners, the Inuvialuit have been formally recognized under the Indigenous exception to the European Union’s seal products prohibition.

This means that the immense purchasing potential of the European Union is now open to Inuvialuit-harvested sealskins and...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I don't know how many creative ways I've got to say this. I said I believe our system is fine, it's working. The latest thing I can remember on the procurement side of things is we heard from businesses and industries in the Northwest Territories when we raised the sole-source amount from $5,000 to $25,000; but, like I said, I haven't had any complaints since I've been the Minister of Public Works.

As I've said, I believe we have a robust, great procurement system in the Northwest Territories. As long as I've been the Minister, I have not had any complaints around the procurement or the process in the Northwest Territories and I will not commit to that.