Daniel McNeely

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I too rise in support of the motion here. I can only imagine the devastation and the stressful environment. As we've always said, our home is our kingdom. And to lose that, I'm just totally lost for words on how the individuals having lost all that life's earnings gone up in smoke, and I really feel for the victims of last year's season. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I put this motion forward with the encouragement of the whole Assembly's support for the reasons being that you can only visualize the impacts of last year's barging season and this year's total barging season and the many negative impacts not only to project delays but postponements, additional costs and, most importantly, the layoffs for the people that are affected by the delaying of the project or the cancellation of the whole project totally. That has a stressful impact on the family income, the mortgage commitments, additional costs of living, and the whole...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Is the Minister looking at temporary transfers from other jurisdictions or other regional office, say at the Inuvik office, to bring personnel down to help with the services required by various residents of the Sahtu? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions today is to the Minister of Environment and Climate Change. The Sahtu regional office plays a major role in assisting cabin owners, title owners on lands within that region. How many vacancies are there in that regional office? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, I request unanimous consent to conclude my statement.

---Unanimous consent granted

Thank you, colleagues. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I want to ensure this government's mandate and the SSI MOU maintains the Mackenzie Valley Highway as a priority for the current and future generations. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise in support of the budget here. We've started off the initiative towards the fiscal sustainability strategy back in February, and now we're at the end, and it never turns out in the interest of what we all expect, but I think we can all realize that there is passion in this Chamber. I feel confident in this leadership in moving on. Yes, we got to give today for tomorrow. And that compromise is what I'm going to be telling the community of Deline and in collaboration and working together and moving forward is exactly what I expect to receive. I've got to attend a...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And thanks for the opportunity to close the debate on this motion here. I additionally wanted to mention here if we look on the spirit of this Assembly's mandate to economic reconciliation with the Indigenous governments, here is one example how to do that and unlocking the Sahtu would mean that this region is 283,000 square kilometers, twice the size of the Maritime provinces, so you can see the potential within this area. And I would request a recorded vote there. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

WHEREAS the Mackenzie River Basin has been experiencing drought and low water levels since 2022, which has disrupted the re-supply of communities by barge;

AND WHEREAS the disruption of barging routes has created extraordinary logistical challenges and costs to deliver goods and supplies to impacted communities;

AND WHEREAS communities in the Sahtu region estimate over a collective $14 million in lost or delayed business opportunity, including logistical and shipping expenses as a result of the 2024 cancelled barge;

AND WHEREAS the Mackenzie Valley Highway has been a...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And thanks to the Minister for that information here. What are the department plans for recruitment? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to also recognize Grand Chief Jackson Lafferty. We had the privilege of serving and working together during the 18th Assembly. And also as we depart for the summer, I'd like to say my sincere thanks and recognition to the support staff that we have in this House here from the cooks, to the pages, to the clerical staff that we have. We wouldn't be as efficient without their support, so they should be recognized also for the many hours. And everybody in this Assembly here on the spirit of collaboration of working together. Have a safe summer. Thank you. Mahsi...