Mr. Speaker... [English translation not provided.]
Mr. Speaker, I have spoken many times in the past about the need to improve the roads that link the communities of the Nahendeh riding and I would like to speak about it again. I am pleased with the chipseal work to be done on Highway No. 1 this year and the improvements to the access road to Jean Marie River, the construction of the access road for Nahanni Butte and the Shale Creek Bridge upgrade. I trust that the Department of Transportation will have everything scheduled by now and the work will be completed without a hitch this spring. These improvements will help make part of the Deh Cho safer for driving. These roads also link our communities to our neighbouring provinces and territories and to the Mackenzie Valley.
You might understand better why my constituents are impatient about road construction if you recall that in 1972 the federal government announced that they were going to build a highway from Fort Simpson to the Dempster in four years. The construction of the Mackenzie Highway began but was stopped in 1977, with the completion of only 210 kilometres. It didn’t get quite as far as Wrigley. However, this year the federal government and the GNWT are funding the preparation of a project description report for the construction of an all-weather road all the way down the Mackenzie Valley to Inuvik and from Inuvik to Tuktoyaktuk.
This is a very important step and when this road is built, and also if and when a pipeline is built, it will certainly be important to have good roads for access by the workforce and transportation of equipment. There should also be consideration and support of upgrading our highways leading to both Alberta and British Columbia, especially the needs of Fort Liard to have the final 18 kilometres of Highway No. 7 reconstructed towards the B.C. border.
Mr. Speaker, I recognize the work completed by the Department of Transportation to date. I urge early completion of our projects in the Nahendeh riding this spring. There will be many benefits to the region, our NWT economy, tourism, and to the safety of the travelers this summer. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. The honourable Member for Nunakput, Mr. Jacobson.
