Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to speak about the government's plans to resume work on the runway extension at the Inuvik Mike Zubko Airport. This contract is funded by the Canadian Department of National Defence as the airport is a forward operating location for CF18 operations and will also expand the airport's capacity bringing great economic benefits and employment.
Mr. Speaker, the tender was awarded to a company jointly owned by Inuvialuit Development Corp, EGT Northwind, and the Gwich'in Development Corp.
Shockingly, it has come to my attention that work on this incredibly important project has recently been stopped or delayed by our government. It has been stopped at a time when Arctic sovereignty is top national priority in light of Russian aggression in the Ukraine and despite the fact that Captain Cameron Hillier of NORAD has said the runway will allow a wider variety of military aircraft to deter, detect and, if necessary, defeat future threats to North America.
It is my understanding that they have stopped work on this project because of detailed engineering budget provided by consortium is approximately $40 million higher than the government initial costing, which was without transparency regarding its details or core assumptions, and before COVID19 caused disruptions to the global supply chain and increases to the cost of steel and other materials.
It is also my understanding that they are refusing to allow an extremely timesensitive phase of this work to be completed this spring despite the consortium's offer to perform work concurrently to a third party review of the budget, keeping the project timeline on track, protecting Indigenous obligations, and local employment. They have repeatedly flagged the impacts of work stoppage on the overall project timeline. They have repeatedly requested to sit down with our government to find a solution. They have repeatedly requested details on the government's costing to help identify disparities. They have repeatedly offered productive solutions to reduce GNWT risk in the matter and keep this project on track. And yet, our government has not sat down with them, has not provided any details about costing and has not done anything to prevent this unnecessary delay. All our Premier is publicly requesting meetings with the prime minister to discuss Arctic security, and today in her Minister statement as well.
It is clear we cannot have any confidence in the safety and security of our region as our government won't do anything to ensure the safety and security of our country, I will have questions for the Minister of Infrastructure, thank you.
Thank you, Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes. Members' statements. Member for Kam Lake.
