Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in my Member's statement today I put it out the department of national defence is looking for some place in the North to house some of their F35 planes, Mr. Speaker. They're buying new they're getting delivery in two years, Mr. Speaker. So my question is for the Minister of Infrastructure. And I'd like to know what the department is doing in recognition that the national defence department of Canada is shopping around for a new base. Is the department aware of this, and what are they doing with that knowledge? Thank you.
Thank you, Member from Yellowknife Centre. Minister of Infrastructure.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we are aware of that. I'm happy to have some attention brought to it, happy to have it brought out publicly that we're aware of. And more specifically, Mr. Speaker, the department's senior officials have already met with department officials from the department of national defence and looking forward to continuing that conversation. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Well, that's certainly good news. I'd like to hear what the department officials are doing or where are they anticipating the potential base, if that's part of the conversation, could be located in the North. As I said, I'd be happy for it to be in Yellowknife but that said I recognize opportunities it may make better sense in Inuvik. So I'd like to hear what the Minister has to say. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, ultimately a decision about where a national defence base or a national defence expansion would take place is the national department of defence decision. Our purpose and our goal is to ensure that wherever that base is that it's in the Northwest Territories. No disrespect to our colleagues on either side, but we want it to be in the Northwest Territories. Thank you.
So, Mr. Speaker, what is the department doing in the sense of selling this as an opportunity other than saying pick us? Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I mean, there's a number of things. One of those things is housing. So this is where it does become a wholeofgovernment issue. We want to ensure, of course, that if it's Yellowknife or wherever it might be, that the investment be aware that there's housing available for that staff. We want it to be them to be aware that there's land available for the expansion. So, again, the department of land's involvement. And we want them to be aware of the support from the government broadly, both from the perspective of infrastructure but also from the perspective of economic development, opportunity, and, really, a good quality of life for the potential residents who would be coming here. So it is a sale's job about the Northwest Territories and from that perspective, again, very happy to have the opportunity to rise on the floor and answer these questions and demonstrate that the entire Assembly is interested and that we want to roll out the carpet for this kind of investment. Thank you.
Thank you, Minister of Infrastructure. Final supplementary. Member from Yellowknife Centre.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Is the Minister able to or willing to share whatever the sales pitch and package they're presenting to the department of national defence to make sure we get all Northerners on side for this type of infrastructure investment and job creation that could be very important and critical to our depressed economic economy when we need it most. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I'm certain I can provide some summary. I only want to be conscious that I'm not sharing DND information that is not mine to share, but can definitely provide more information about what kind of sale's pitch we're giving. And, again, happy to have more attention on it. I certainly would want to make it very plain and very clear that I share the interest, and I share the enthusiasm. We want to see that investment here. We think the Northwest Territories is the right place for it. And so I'll make sure and get something that we can all share and get behind. Thank you.
Thank you, Minister of Infrastructure. Oral questions. Member from Great Slave.
