Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to use the occasion today to talk about the Inuvik-Tuk highway. As you know very well, over the years you’ve heard me always say that I’ve been a supporter of the highway, and that support for the principle of the highway has not changed at all. I believe in some vision, in a manner of speaking, that it is nation building in its own way.
It is a new highway and may I remind this House, certainly the Transportation Minister and, of course, our Premier – the one that led the great vision I talked about last week in Ottawa – a new highway is supposed to be a federal responsibility. Now the territorial government is wading into this and, of course, gets us into an interesting pickle, whereas our public is picking up the tab for what should rightly be a federal responsibility.
The primary issue I’m hearing today, as we wait for these costs to the highway, is that the public wants to know what this is going to cost. They’re sitting in a manner here they’re anticipating, but all we hear is rumour that it will cost $200 million, $250 million, $300 million, even $350 million. Those seem to be numbers that float around. Of course, the concern that we’ve always heard is, don’t worry, the feds will pick up that 25/75 split. That was great news and new news on the $200 million highway, but of course, if it’s $350 million, are the territorial citizens going to be the taxpayers that back this particular project?
I acknowledge and certainly support the principles that our Prime Minister, Stephen Harper, has and his focus. He has had a relentless focus, and I would like to give him credit for that, about developing the North and creating opportunities that have not existed before, and he certainly does deserve that credit. I do caution our House in the context of what will our costs be.
In short, I want to bring this down to a couple of things. The first thing is, before a number is debated and voted upon in this House, I would certainly like a public number, a plain-language document of costing and reporting out there for the public so they can see it, and have a chance to consume it, and understand the particular issues that this will build and certainly be for our territory. Whatever number that ends up, it should be given to the public with a full opportunity to have some discussion on this. That way they can provide the feedback to the Members of the Assembly and say, look, I would like you to support this, or in some cases maybe not support it because it’s such a large number.
The other issue which I will be bringing up in question period is the royalties. People are concerned about how much the royalties may be; if so, how much, and why are we paying royalties, considering how much highway in the future needs to be built. I will have questions for the Transportation Minister later today.
Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. The honourable Member for Deh Cho, Mr. Nadli.
