Debates of October 30, 2024 (day 35)

October
30
2024
Session
20th Assembly, 1st Session
Day
35
Speaker
Shane Thompson
Word PDF
Members Present
1418
Assembly Members
Topics
Bill 11: An Act to Amend the Motor Vehicles Act, Carried
Bill 12: Business Day Statute Law Amendment Act, Carried
Committee Motion 49-20(1): Tabled Document 193-20(1): 2025-2026 Capital Estimates – Industry, Tourism and Investment – Tourism and Parks – Reduce Infrastructure Investments, Defeated
Committee Motion 50-20(1): Tabled Document 193-20(1): 2025-2026 Capital Estimates – Industry, Tourism and Investment – Deferral of Department, Carried
Member’s Statement 398-20(1): Inuvik Marine Bypass Road
Member’s Statement 399-20(1): Report of the Auditor General of Canada to the Northwest Territories Legislative Assembly – Stanton Territorial Hospital Renewal Project
Member’s Statement 400-20(1): Extended Health Benefits Changes
Member’s Statement 401-20(1): Norman Wells Economic Concerns
Member’s Statement 402-20(1): Dempster Highway in Summer and Fall Season
Member’s Statement 403-20(1): Report of the Auditor General of Canada to the Northwest Territories Legislative Assembly – Stanton Territorial Hospital Renewal Project
Member’s Statement 404-20(1): Deficit Mentality Impacting Financial Deficit
Member’s Statement 405-20(1): Supports for Northwest Territories Residents Experiencing Fertility Issues
Member’s Statement 406-20(1): Health Promotion in Small Communities
Member’s Statement 407-20(1): Food Insecurity
Member’s Statement 408-20(1): Supporting Youth with Autism
Member’s Statement 409-20(1): Pat Rowe Memorial Golf Tournament
Minister’s Statement 78-20(1): Northwest Territories Supply Chain Challenges and Solutions
Minister’s Statement 79-20(1): Update on Education Act Modernization
Minister’s Statement 80-20(1): National Action Plan to End Gender-Based Violence
Motion 45–20(1): Extended Adjournment of the House to February 5, 2025
Question 386-20(1): Old Stanton Building Decision-Making
Question 387-20(1): Correctional Centre in Fort Smith
Question 388-20(1): Primary Care Teams
Question 389-20(1): Expansion of School Lunch Program
Question 390-20(1): Health Promotion in Communities
Question 391-20(1): Education Security Presentations in Sahtu
Question 392-20(1): Paving the Inuvik Bypass Road
Question 393-20(1): Extended Health Benefits Applicants Payment Plans
Question 394-20(1): Dempster Highway Conditions
Question 395-20(1): Families with Adopted Children
Question 396-20(1): Approvals in the Public Service
Question 397-20(1): Overdose-Related RCMP Calls
Question 398-20(1): Physician Workforce Plan
Tabled Document 215-20(1): NWT Carbon Tax Report 2023-2024
Tabled Document 217-20(1): United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Action Plan Committee Annual Report, August 2024
Statements

Member’s Statement 398-20(1): Inuvik Marine Bypass Road

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And might I say you're looking rather dapper today. I guess I need a tie.

Mr. Speaker, I'm going to borrow a statement from my esteemed colleague from Inuvik Twin Lakes today from Hansard in October 14th, 2022. And I quote: Mr. Speaker, the bypass road in Inuvik is not only used by vehicles but is also used by the people out for walks, exercise, as well as other recreational activities. I can say even as far back as some of my colleagues in here will remember, phys. ed. classes where we had to run the 5-kilometer run in the school at the bypass. So it's used for many, many different activities. Now that the snow has started to fall at home, you can hardly notice one complaint -- you can notice one complaint that we've all had a part in for that road for months leading up to this time of year. Mr. Speaker, mud and dust, mud and dust. This is something that is so common to us up in the Delta. The dust some days carries throughout the town and could be a nuisance and even creep in -- and it does creep in -- to homes with open windows. Mr. Speaker, it can also be a real safety issue for vehicles and pedestrians alike. Flying rocks can also be very dangerous for the people that use this portion of the road, and that's not even talking about the mud that occurs when it rains; it also makes it very dangerous.

Mr. Speaker, the responsible then Minister, and I quote: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. So the department has reviewed the request to chip seal the marine bypass road. So the current cost estimate -- and I say that loosely because it may change -- is about $1 million, which is about three times the cost that is incurred in the southern Northwest Territories. As there is no paving equipment in Inuvik or in the community, we'd have to bring up contractors in from Whitehorse. In order to maximize local benefits to keep the cost down, we should align this work with some of the paving that's happening at the Inuvik runway. So, Mr. Speaker, I can commit -- and you're welcome -- to doing this work at the same time as the Inuvik runway. And I'm hoping with that answer, Mr. Speaker, I get no more supplemental.

So, Mr. Speaker, I may only have one question for the Minister of Infrastructure today. Thank you.

Speaker: MR. SPEAKER

Thank you, Member from Inuvik Boot Lake. You do look dapper as well.

Member from Range Lake.