Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today I’d like to follow up on my colleague from Hay River North when he spoke about dredging in the Hay River this week.
Hay River is the second largest community in the territory. When communities locate where they do, it’s for a reason, and the reason, I assure you, that Hay River is located where it is, is because it is at the mouth of the Hay River which flows into Great Slave Lake. The industry of Hay River, our recognition as the Hub of the North, is all based on the transportation industry.
Our community was founded on the fact that we are the largest inland harbour in western Canada. For that reason, the Canadian Coast Guard, the Department of Fisheries and Oceans, these institutions are located in Hay River. But it is now a sad day because after the federal government Department of Public Works dredging department pulled out of Hay River, they devolved the responsibility to this government, for which there was no plan, no money, no equipment and I don’t know how the federal government could have gotten away from absolving themselves and stepping away from that responsibility.
We keep asking the Minister of Transportation what he’s going to do about it, but we are knocking on the wrong door. There is no way that our government is going to step up with the equipment and the money to dredge the harbour in Hay River. It is a very urgent issue. Not only is it affecting our destination as the home of the Canadian Coast Guard installation, it is also threatening the residents, a great number of residents of our community who live on Vale Island, because of the annual risk of flood. That is something that can only be continuing to cost this government money through Municipal and Community Affairs.
As we talk about devolution and we hear about NWT Days and we hear about our government going down to Ottawa to talk about the Inuvik-Tuk highway, the fibre optic link, devolution, I would like them to add another topic to their list of priorities that they need to talk to the federal government about, and I would like that to be the dredging of the Hay River Harbour.
Hay River is the second largest community. We absolutely depend on that harbour for the livelihood and the economy of the community. It’s for the safety of our citizens and I would like to ask the Premier later today if the dredging of the Hay River Harbour will be up there, named off with those things that will be taken to the attention of the Prime Minister’s office and the federal government each and every time we speak to them. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. The honourable Member for Hay River North, Mr. Bouchard.
