Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I just want to follow up on my Member’s statement as well. Basically, it’s a new and emerging issue the impact that is happening in the Sahtu and my riding of Nahendeh and the need for expenditures on the road north of Wrigley. I just wanted to take a different angle though.
We mentioned here several times about the Voisey’s Bay template, about spending money in the special development zones and the federal government did it for Voisey’s Bay. We actually did it for Highway No. 4 and the Ingraham Trail. I would like to ask the Minister of ITI if he could look at this as a special development zone and can we start putting some resources to it. I know the Minister indicated that he’s going to wait and see that the play is actually developed. In these other areas we spent money before they were developed. I would like to ask the Minister of ITI if he will start focusing and work with his Cabinet colleagues to develop a strategy for the Sahtu and develop our Mackenzie Valley Highway north.
Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. The honourable Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment, Mr. David Ramsay.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I thank the Member. That was a good statement that he had earlier.
Certainly, we need to be looking at what is happening in the Sahtu. I know I answered a number of questions today from Mr. Yakeleya regarding what is happening in the Sahtu. We need to look at opportunities. I mentioned to Mr. Yakeleya about the Economic Opportunities Strategy that is underway. I think it’s a good opportunity to put the concerns of the region of Nahendeh and the Sahtu on the table and see what we can do.
I know with Voisey’s Bay, I believe, it was after the mine was developed at Voisey’s Bay that ACOA had put a special economic zone in place at Voisey’s Bay. I don’t know if it was pre-development of that mine. I’d have to double check that.
Certainly, we’ve got a lot happening in the Sahtu, and I know the roads in the Member’s riding are being impacted and we really do need to pay special attention here. If there’s a way to develop the economy in both the Nahendeh and the Sahtu I think the most important thing is the agencies that are there aren’t tripping over themselves. I think there’s a possibility that if you get too many people involved in it, that’s not a good thing either. I think it has to be focused and it has to be action oriented in order to get results. I think we will get there. It’s early days.
We missed, of course, a huge opportunity during NWT Days, because this is a new and emerging issue for us to advise that the Sahtu is having impact on the region and our Northwest Territories. Will the Minister of ITI develop this strategy so that we can work with the federal government and let them know that we will need their assistance in developing impact funding for this region? Just like they committed $500 million for the pipeline, this is special development that is happening and if we can work towards developing some kind of strategy to get impact funding from the federal government.
I guess I’m very well situated in that I am the Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment and Minister of Transportation, and in the meetings we had with our federal counterparts in Ottawa, I, again, never miss an opportunity to let them know what is happening in the central Mackenzie, talk about it, talk about the need of a Mackenzie Valley all-weather road. Certainly, that is going to be front and centre.
We have a big project that we need to get construction started on. As soon as that is moved forward, our focus will certainly shift south to the central Mackenzie and we will take our best effort.
I mentioned earlier that we want to work with Regular Members on an approach with the federal government, and how we’re going to go about trying to work with industry and the federal government to get some more funding for the Mackenzie Valley Highway. We’ve had some success with CanNor. Thus far they’ve just recently given us a little bit more money to continue the momentum that we have there, so we’ll continue to work with CanNor and other partners on moving this whole thing forward.
Certainly, the other regions are getting their special projects, and it’s time now to use the momentum of the Sahtu play to develop the highways in the Nahendeh system and the Sahtu. Just with that focus, it’s not about taking away from other regions but about our government identifying that it is important, and to work with the federal government to identify a strategy for impact funding. Can the Minister work with his Cabinet colleagues to continue that momentum?
ITI certainly was working with the other departments. When you look at this year’s budget you’ll see a number of items in there specific to the Sahtu. That is a direct result of what is happening in the Sahtu.
The government has had to react and take action. Working with the other departments, we’ve identified areas where we need to be looking at putting more resources. We have done that.
I believe this is still relatively early days in the development of the Canol shale oil play. Those wells will be tested. If they have a commercial rate flow and get into production, that will change many, many things here in the Northwest Territories.
Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. Final supplementary, Mr. Menicoche.
Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Just to continue that momentum, if the ITI Minister will also work with his Cabinet colleagues that my riding of Nahendeh, Fort Simpson and Wrigley are being impacted, and that some resources will have to be identified for them as well.
As this all moves forward, I certainly look forward to working with the Member and the communities in Nahendeh to see how they’ve been impacted, and working with the government to try to find ways to get more resources there.
Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. The honourable Member for Inuvik Boot Lake, Mr. Moses.
