Wally Schumann

Yes, I believe those conversations have taken place, and the department is looking at what we can do particularly around opening up some of these parks, particularly on the Ingraham Trail around the wintertime. It is a serious safety issue, I believe, with the amount of traffic that is on there, with the amount of loads that are going to the mines.

We have a number of tourists. Operators are well aware of the situation. They are trying to run safely and look after their customers, but one of the concerns is these independent tourists, if we want to call it that. They come here, they rent a...

We have the SEAs. That is what requires them to base their commitments on. That is what we try to hold them accountable to. At the end of the day, this is something that we want to see the union and the company work out, if possible. We are certainly concerned about it. We are willing to help, like I said, facilitate anything to help move this forward, but, at the end of the day, if they cannot come to an agreement to continue on with these 150 employees, labour law is the ultimate responsibility of the federal government, but we will keep an eye on this situation. I will certainly have...

As I said, we are spending $7 million on park infrastructure this year. In my notes, just in the North Slave, I think going forward for this capital year, we are going to spend roughly $1.384 million in the North Slave region. There is going to be money spent at Fred Henne Park, Prosperous Lake boat launch, Powder Point Territorial Park, Fred Henne kitchen shelter, Prelude Territorial Park boat launch, North Arm Territorial Park in the Monfwi area, and Prelude Lake Territorial Park loop D needs to be finished up, as well. So there is significant money that is going to be spent in the North...

No, I have not received any official notice from the Dominion Diamond Mines about this situation. What I can update this House, I did have a conversation with Dominion Diamonds at one point a number of months ago around the concern of high absentee of employees at the site. He said that, at that point, it was something of a concern of theirs, and when I'd seen it in the paper, that is the first time I have actually seen it in writing. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, May 27th to June 2nd is Tourism Week across Canada. Tourism Week provides an opportunity to highlight the tourism sector and the economic opportunities that accompany it. Tourism is a key part of the Government of the Northwest Territories' commitment to advance regional economic growth and diversification.

This week, events and activities across our territory will bring people together to celebrate the places and experiences that encouraged 100,000 visitors to join us North of 60 last year.

Mr. Speaker, the heart of our booming tourism industry is its people, NWT residents who make...

I can see if we can pull those numbers together. As all Members know, we are updating all Members on this tomorrow after the rise of the House, and I will see if I can pull together the numbers around those questions at the time.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. When I spoke about the Tuktoyaktuk to Inuvik highway last week, we said the road was under substantial completion when we decided to open it in November. I don't have the exact percentage, but I believe it was probably roughly 95 to 96 per cent complete. Based on that and having a look at the situation, as I have stated in this House, about opening the ice road, we took advantage of the situation for the winter months to open this highway. We have had 60 to 70 visitors per day, as I have said in this House, with no issues. The communities of Tuktoyaktuk and Inuvik had...

Contractors recently have just been out there welding and levelling the facility to get it stabilized. The Department of Infrastructure is having a look at the engineering requirements around what it is going to take to either replace that, cut off the back half of it, use the front of it, or demolish it.

After that has been completed, we will be reaching out probably within the government departments to see if there is a need for it. If there is no need within the government departments, we will probably be going out to a public call to see if there is a need for it and then have a look at the...

Well, I will check with the department and see what the planning was around the date that we want to meet with the community. I know summer is coming and a number of the Member's riding people on council may be on holiday, so we have to get that date straightened out. I will let him know the exact date. We want to go in there sooner than later, hopefully. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Yes, in the letter to me, they have mentioned rumble strips, lower speed limits, signage, pedestrian crossing, and, like I said at the time of the meeting there, when we were doing the Deh Cho tour, that I would send our staff in there to do an assessment and meet with the committee and then make an assessment and get back to me and we can discuss that with the community and the Member from the riding.