Wally Schumann

What I can tell the Member is that the government has over $330 million to invest in electricity infrastructure in the Northwest Territories going forward. That is going to result in more construction jobs, local jobs, and suppliers where it's possible. In addition, the GNWT is investing over $31 million in the Low Carbon Economy Fund that we announced here earlier this year, which will leverage over $70 million over the next three years. This will also support the local builders and contractors and suppliers who do energy retrofits and install renewable energy in the system. Fifty-percent...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We are already taking significant steps to leverage new federal funding, everyone in this House knows that, to support these new initiatives that we are laying out. We are making unprecedented investments to support energy initiatives across the Northwest Territories. This year, we will invest over $60 million in projects and initiatives intended to support secure, reliable, and sustainable energy in the Northwest Territories. All of this investment, we know, will support economic growth, particularly to the businesses and entrepreneurs around this green, renewable...

Understanding climate and adjusting accordingly is inherent in all our operations of the transportation system. Climate change has been incorporated into our best practice documents and construction procedures and specifications. We keep involved at the national level to influence and incorporate research into updated national standards and promote professional development.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you for attending today. I am going to take this opportunity to actually speak to a number of initiatives that the Government of the Northwest Territories is doing, because some Members in this House say they don't think we're doing enough. I want these young people to hear exactly what we're doing as the Government of the Northwest Territories, because I believe the actions that we are taking go beyond. A small jurisdiction like we are, we are punching above our weight, so I'm going to read every word on these questions.

He wants to know what we're doing in the...

As I said, currently, phase 1 is scheduled to be completed by end of May. That is phase 1, and we will be notifying the public when we are doing the other stuff. Neither the Yellowknife airport nor the Department of Infrastructure has received any complaints on this matter. We are not aware of any flights being delayed or any passengers who have missed their flights. Travellers have cooperated and have been arriving early to avoid congestion. We have been monitoring the passenger flow, and the interim system has been functioning well.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have the notes here. Thank you to the Member for giving us the heads-up on this. I am going to take the opportunity to actually let the public know what we are actually doing out there. These renovations are part of a larger project. The whole baggage-screening recapitalization, which is funded by CATSA, which is the Canadian Air Transport Security Authority, the funding was approved in December of 2018. The contract for the building modifications included the renovations to the oversized screening area, to level 2 and level 3 screening areas. For those of you who do...

As the Member knows, he has asked me this question before in the House, and, with climate change in effect, we are monitoring these things very closely. We are looking at all options, up- and downstream, particularly at Fort Simpson right now. Being in the fiscal situation we are in, if I had the required funding, we could probably pursue some of these things, but I think we are going to have to continue to monitor the situation and look at all options going forward.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I certainly will contact the responsible authority to accurately survey the river. We can do that around the ferry landings and the possible alternative routes. As I said in my previous comments here with the Fort McPherson ferry, low water is going to be an issue. We know that already because of the way things are looking. The one thing about the Fort Simpson ferry and that crossing, there is so much silt and gravel in that thing that the conditions can change on a regular basis and in a very short period of time, and there is also the gravel bar issue that is in the...

As I have said, historically, these have on average been in place by June 2nd, so, if we have them in by next week, we could be in as early as four or five days earlier than average.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The staff are out there working and doing their due diligence. I would have to get back to the Member on the exact timing that Transport Canada will be in there to do their stuff, but, from my indication, what I have gotten from the department so far is that we are on schedule to have both the Louis Cardinal and Abraham Francis ferries in the water and operational by next week.