Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am doing my Member's statement today on inflation and infrastructure.
Mr. Speaker, on May 18th, 2022, the bureau of statistics released data on the consumer price index. This tracks changes to the average price of goods and services in the Northwest Territories. In other words, inflation.
That report has shown that since this time last year inflation has risen 7 percent. Mr. Speaker, my constituents see much more than that. Seven percent reflected in the prices they pay for food, fuel, electricity, clothing, and other everyday items. The past two years have been hard enough without the cost of living increasing so much. The government must implement solutions to alleviate this burden on my people.
Mr. Speaker, I look to what was done in Tuktoyaktuk and how residents benefitted from the InuvikTuk Highway. Connecting our communities to larger centres decrease the cost of transportation and lowers the cost of living.
Mr. Speaker, with the opening of the Tlicho Highway, previously known as the Whati AllSeason Road, I am excited to see these benefits for residents in Whati. In addition, the eventual completion of the Whati Transmission Line will lower the cost of electricity. These two projects will certainly assist with the cost of living in Whati.
Mr. Speaker, while good things may be happening for Whati, we need to speak of Gameti and Wekweeti. Residents there are not seeing the same benefits. Both remain fly in/fly out communities with seasonal winter road access. The cost of living in these communities is expensive and inflation is making it worse.
Tlicho region has a deficit in our existing infrastructure, Mr. Speaker. If connecting Whati to the North Slave is the first step, then the next logical step would be continue the road and transmission line to Gameti and eventually to Wekweeti.
Currently we have seasonal access by winter road. But who is to say that climate change will make winter roads a sustainable solution in the future? Mr. Speaker, with the expected shut down of the mines, the time is right to start planning an allseason road to Gameti.
I will have questions for the Minister of Infrastructure at the appropriate time. Thank you.
Thank you, Member for Monfwi. Members' statements. Member for Yellowknife North.
