Debates of November 30, 2007 (day 6)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Premier. It is in regards to the infrastructure needs in our communities. I am not making it sound like there is no need in the community of Aklavik. I know with the flood a couple of years ago, that we expended over $2 million hauling crushed gravel from Inuvik to Aklavik by barge. But yet, Mr. Speaker, there is a gravel source 15 kilometres from the community by way of Willow River. I think, as a government, that we do have a program called the community access road program, but it is very limited on really doing anything practical on the ground. I think it is important, Mr. Speaker, that we, as government, develop a program or put more resources into a program to allow for communities to develop their granular sources so that they are able to meet the challenges of climate change, floods, infrastructure needs and, more importantly, build up those communities that are threatened by climate change such as shore erosion, floods and other things. As a government, maybe we should look at the policies we already have and develop around those policies. I would like to ask the Premier not to lose sight of his neighbours to the west, but to keep them in mind that we also have some challenges which are unique. I support the project in regards to site 177, but I think also the community of Aklavik is in similar need. I would like to ask the Premier, will he also commit to the community of Aklavik as he just committed to the Member for Nunakput?

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Thank you, Mr. Krutko. The honourable Premier, Mr. Roland.

Return To Question 84-16(1): Constituency Infrastructure Priorities

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we will do our job to try to get to every community in the Northwest Territories, and I am prepared to meet with the Member and his community on this issue. It has been a longstanding one. We have arranged, for example, transportation at times if the Housing Corporation or a number of departments have projects. They arrange for a larger source. At times the winter road is built into that area and gravel hauled out. As a government, we are going to have a discussion on the overall package of what we bring forward and those initiatives and priorities. I am prepared to work with the Member and travel with him and speak on this issue. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Roland. Supplementary, Mr. Krutko.

Supplementary To Question 84-16(1): Constituency Infrastructure Priorities

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, again, I touched on the community access road program. We do have federal dollars now that we are plugging into in regards to $33 million of capacity funding. Is there a possibility that the Premier and his Cabinet could look at the possibility of expanding the community access road program to expand the amount of money that is allocated to the community access program? Right now it is $50,000 per year. Maybe we can take some of that federal funding, put it into this program, increase the allowances that are allowed for that program so that we really can make a difference to communities to access their gravel sources, such as $2 million per project.

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. Mr. Roland.

Further Return To Question 84-16(1): Constituency Infrastructure Priorities

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as we have entered this cycle, we are preparing to come forward once we have our discussion about the overall priorities of the 16th Assembly, look at the interim appropriation, for example, to carry on before we come forward with our full budget which would be in early spring, May or June. At that point, the requests for additional money, change of programs, we would be willing to work with Members, again looking at the overall priorities of the 16th Assembly. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Roland. Supplementary, Mr. Krutko.

Supplementary To Question 84-16(1): Constituency Infrastructure Priorities

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in regards to the Premier’s commitment, I do believe, as a government, we have the unique programs out there. We have developed them over the years. But I think it is the lack of real adequate resources that are in those programs that really make them work. I think I mentioned the community access program. It is a good idea. It is a good initiative, but it is limited on the amount of resources that is in it. As a government, I think we should look at programs that do work and put more resources into them and make them accessible to all communities throughout the Northwest Territories to make sure that it is not generally just to a couple of regions or a couple of communities, that we are able to develop a lot of our smaller communities who have all of these challenges by way of infrastructure. I would like to ask the Minister, would the Premier consider looking at the possibility of expanding this program by putting more resources in it to make it more deliverable and accessible for our communities?

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. Mr. Roland.

Further Return To Question 84-16(1): Constituency Infrastructure Priorities

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would have to agree with the Member on putting more resources where programs are working. As an Assembly, we are going to have to go through the exercise of coming up with some of those key priorities and then try to find the funding to put into those areas, but we are going to have to look at how we do that. There are going to be challenges across the board. We are going to have to reallocate internally, as well. We need to have that discussion. As I committed, we will do that through our business planning process. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Roland. Final, short supplementary, Mr. Krutko.

Supplementary To Question 84-16(1): Constituency Infrastructure Priorities

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, also I would like to encourage the Premier to build partnerships outside of governments, outside of communities and also with aboriginal governments. I know the aboriginal community is interested in different projects to assist their communities. I would like to ask the Premier if he would like to consider the possibility of getting by aboriginal governments, corporations, development corporations, so that they can move on some of these projects.

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. Mr. Roland.

Further Return To Question 84-16(1): Constituency Infrastructure Priorities

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, it is those kinds of partnerships that will help in the delivery of key infrastructure in our communities. The more that that type of partnership can come forward and can help us and we help each other by bringing our resources together, that is something that we definitely have to look at. So we would be open to those types of discussions. Thank you.