Debates of May 29, 2018 (day 31)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as a follow-up to my Member's statement, I have a couple of questions for the Minister of Infrastructure. Mr. Speaker, as I mentioned, the department is doing a great job brush cutting on the sides of the highway. As I mentioned, they completed about 10 to 15 kilometres from Tsiigehtchic toward Inuvik, also all the blind spots from the Peel Ferry right to Inuvik, actually, Mr. Speaker. I would like to ask the Minister: when will the department be doing more brushing along the highway to complete the whole Dempster? Hopefully, we get that far. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Minister of Infrastructure.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Looking back in my notes, we have done a significant amount of brushing over the last few years through the Building Canada Innovation Program money, through the provincial-territorial infrastructure component of our allocation. We are continuing to forecast brushing for this fiscal year of kilometres 161 to 168, and in the future 2020, we are looking at 168 to 175. What I can also say on that is, we also have the new bundle three approved for the new Building Canada plan, and we are looking at spending another $22.5 million on the Dempster. I suspect, going through our reviews of conducting surveys or what needs to be done going forward, to determine what needs to be done, brushing will be continued going forward.

That is great news. As I mentioned earlier, we do have brushing that has been done from the Peel River to Tsiigehtchic, but my constituents would like to see the whole highway completed, not only the blind spots, which makes a great difference, Mr. Speaker. As I mentioned, I thank the department for starting with the blind spots, but my constituents would like to see the whole highway brush cut along that stretch.

As I have stated, I know the two sections going forward between now and 2020, with Bundle 3 approved now, we will have to have a look at, as I say, conducting the surveys with our crews going forward, and I suspect, I've been up there. I've lived in that region. I know what the willows are like on the side of the highway, and I'm almost certain that brush cutting is going to be part of our reconstruction going forward until the end of 2024 until our fiscal funding runs out with the federal government.

Oral questions. Member for Nunakput.