Daniel McNeely

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And thanks to the Minister for that information. My next question, can the Minister commit her department to organize an airlift at pay-for-service-fee to the Sahtu for 2024 season? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The community of Fort Good Hope is proud to celebrate two graduates from the Chief T’Selehye School this year. We'd like to congratulate Jermaine Tobac and Dyer Gardebois on their achievement. The whole community wants to celebrate in their success and wish them the best in their education journey as they take their next steps. Mahsi.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. And thanks for the response to that there, deputy minister. And my other question is that I participated in a virtual led by the Sahtu Renewable Resources Board on the many sumps that -- waste sumps that are out there on the land in the Sahtu. So they're doing an inventory similar to what they did in the Beaufort Delta, and it'll help diversify our economy by creating this clean-up. So I would suggest the department, if they want to reach out to the Sahtu Renewable Resource Board in Tulita, to see how they can help. If you got a big sump that's out there that's left prior...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. And I'm looking at all these different programs within this activity and listening to the Minister making compliments of diversification and supports. It's all good. And I look forward to -- and my presentation's more of a comment, Mr. Chair.

The Minister had mentioned that we had wildfire relief. Now we got to design low water relief. So I look forward to, as for our statement -- or my statement here to the Minister, how to design from this package of programs to design a low water relief for the Sahtu businesses? I'm constantly getting texts already on complimenting what...

My list was telling me two the last time I was in Edmonton. So you might want to double check on that there, please. And thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thanks, Mr. Chair. I just provide some comments or some advice here. The proposed school location, not the portables, the proposed school location is -- I'm going to take a guess -- probably 40 yards away from the health centre. And the health centre is sitting on foundation, a piling foundation, and that's being proposed for the new school. And I'm told that the engineers are possibly using that to cancel that particular site. So if you say, well, your if neighbour's on piles, why shouldn't this project be on piles? So it would be a good follow-up question there as we move ahead for the site...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I too will be supporting the motion. As my colleague from the Monfwi had mentioned, the small communities outside of Norman Wells really are feeling the impacts of its costs, costs, costs. Everything we do in that region is either shipped in during barge, if there is one, and then wait another six months until the big trucks start rolling in. So it's a very costly operating area, and without government we have no industry. Those are just a few of the number of reasons why I'll be supporting this motion. Mahsi.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And thanks to the Minister for that information. Moving on, I'm glad to hear that this Minister is making comments or statements to the previous Minister on Friday that we're taking an all-of-government approach. It really is a collective one to address this issue, and a major one. Can the Minister provide a subsidy to ensure the air cargo rate does not exceed above 60 cents per pound as proposed by the air barge. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Yeah, thank you, Mr. Chair. It was more of a comment. I acknowledge -- I had the same questions as my colleague from the Deh Cho, and I'll use that, the Minister's replies to move on compensation for a similar trapper cabin owner we have in the Sahtu. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question, following up on my Member's statement, is directed to the Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment.

The Sahtu businesses have not only incurred additional expenses, extra transportation costs, loss of revenues, now let's explore the designing of a relief program.

My first question, Mr. Speaker, can the Minister initiate business funding grants that support Sahtu businesses to withstand all of these business pressures and disruptions for 2024-2025 fiscal year? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.