Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I just wanted to use this opportunity to highlight a couple of topics important to my riding.
Firstly, I just wanted to let our government know to continue to pay attention to Nahanni Butte as they rebuild from the flood and patiently wait for their community to get back together.
I spoke in this House how important it is to repair the access road to the community, and I again ask the Department of Transportation to ensure that all contracts and planning are prepared beforehand so that repair work can begin as soon as physically possible. This is a critical role for Nahanni Butte and we must take it seriously. Several years ago when Yellowknife did not have a bypass road and the highway got shut in for about six hours, the panic was huge from the residents. They were actually getting stir crazy. That was only for six hours. My constituents have been shut in for six months. I pride their patience and, once again, ask Mr. Ramsay, the Minister of the Department of Transportation, to ensure that repairs to this vital access road happen sooner than later.
As well, by virtue of our involvement in the Business Development Investment Corporation, we technically have responsibilities for the replacement of the store that’s in Nahanni Butte. Be assured, it must be replaced or repaired. The community needs certainty as to when that store will be replaced.
Also, the school children and schooling was very concerning to me as the school was the temporary band office there. I’d like to see this space be returned to the school.
Another way the community was impacted in one small way was that they still don’t have a radio in Nahanni Butte. No CKLB, no CBC. In future disaster planning, how can we reach out to communities when radio access is part of our emergency planning? That’s a communications aspect of it. I’d like to see some work being done in that area as well.
Also, sadly, there has been resistance by our government and government departments to allow some claims. This is concerning. Residents lost skidoos and other small engine equipment, chainsaws, et cetera, that may not be allowed a claim because they are not classified as a trapper. This is a disaster, an act of God, a flood that affected everybody. Replacing our residents’ losses should be a priority, not giving them a no. It is bad enough that they were impacted.
Another huge topic for residents is they really do want to begin discussions on relocating the community. We as the government have always known it was in a flood plain. Floods have occurred before, but not as severe as this latest one in June. Residents do fear that it can happen again. They do want to see some relocation plans, options and strategies. I believe we must continue to take the community seriously and it’s a long-term solution, as well, that will require some financial resources dedicated to it. Floods cost money to repair, and planning for a relocation I think is money well spent. I believe the Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs will be travelling with me to the community in December and I look forward to having a great discussion with the community about the seriousness of it. Not all residents want it, but I believe at least we should have a look at it.
The government has committed to do a post-mortem on the evacuation procedures and the disaster. I look forward to getting that and sharing that with the community. I don’t know if it can be done by our December visit there, but I would sure like to have an evaluation of how the disaster was handled. The community leadership did point out that I think it was the Housing Corporation did not have an actual disaster relief policy and I think that surely should be addressed as well.
Once again, in closing, I just wanted to say that the needs of the community of Nahanni Butte, it’s taken a long time to put their community back together, and I just want our government to pay attention and make those few small changes and address some of the concerns. People have lost things and it’s even more hurtful for our government to say no because of some rule or guideline procedure.
