Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I'd like to follow up with the Minister of Transportation. I know he said that the community has met with his staff to meet there, but this is an Aboriginal community, it's First Nations in government and it's part of the mandate, so will the Minister commit to actually meet the leadership to have this discussion about transportation in their riding? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Minister of Transportation.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As I stated in the House earlier that our staff has gone and met with the community and the band and discussed the contract that was put out to tender. I stand by that. If the community and chief and council want to have a conversation with me I'm willing to open up to have a phone conversation and have preliminary discussions with them in that manner. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Again, I thank the Minister for sort of kind of answering. I understand that he's had his staff go in and talk to the community. I understand he sent a letter, now he's offering a phone call. Actually, the community would like to have a face-to-face meeting with the Minister. So will the Minister make the commitment to actually meet them face-to-face, not by a phone, not by a letter, so they can actually deal with some of the issues of transportation?
As I've stated, I'm willing to have a phone call conversation with the leadership of Wrigley and have a discussion around this and see where it goes from there.
I understand the phone lines really work good between Yellowknife and Wrigley but, unfortunately, they would actually like to see the Minister come to the community and address the issue. Three other Ministers came there and they heard their concerns: transportation was the issue; the biggest issue there. They had concerns. They're trying to meet with the Minister face-to-face so they can address their concerns. So will the Minister make a commitment to go in and face-to-face meet with these people? Please.
Face-to-face! Take pride in Wrigley.
As I've stated, this is early conversation; the tender has already been awarded; the proponents are starting on the project. If there's other transportation issues the community wants to discuss with the Minister of Transportation I will gladly have a phone conversation and see where this goes from there.
Masi. Oral questions. Member for Nahendeh.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Maybe we can educate the Minister on actually face-to-face that gives them that opportunity. Again, it's not about having a conversation over the phone; it's actually going in and meeting with the people. We're not talking about this one contract; we're talking about transportation issues in that community. So will the Minister please go into the community and meet with them? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Please. Yes.
As I've stated previously, I'm open to having a phone conversation around transportation issues with the community. Until we get that ironed out I'm not prepared to go in there until we get the basis of what the conversation is going to be, and I will gladly have a conversation with the community and council.
