Debates of June 1, 2005 (day 6)

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, in my statement, I quoted John Diefenbaker’s vision to the northern frontier, building roads. In John Diefenbaker’s roads in the past 30 years of that vision being voiced in Ottawa, I would like to ask the Minister of Transportation if he could outline a brief strategy of his department’s intentions to move on building an all-weather road in the Sahtu region. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. The honourable Minister of Transportation, Mr. McLeod.

Return To Question 72-15(4): All-Weather Road For The Sahtu

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, like the Member, we share Mr. Diefenbaker’s vision to see an all-weather road along the Mackenzie Valley.

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However, the final decision is not ours to make. We continue to seek funding to improve the road system, extend the season and put the bridge into the Mackenzie Valley winter road. However, we need the federal government onside to provide the dollars to bring it to the point where it is an all-weather road. It’s something we strive towards. We’ve used every avenue that we have to bring that message to Ottawa. We have included it in our long-term strategy. We have a document called Investing in Roads that was put together in 2000 that has the strategy in there to include the Mackenzie Valley winter road, the Tuk road and all other roads that are needed in the NWT.

We are also dealing with this road when we discuss the resource development impacts that are happening in the Northwest Territories. We have raised it with the pipeline proponents. We have increasing meetings with all developers in the area to see if we can partner with them to raise some funds.

We are also developing a new proposal that we will be sharing with committee that looks at putting a request in to the federal government again along the same lines as the Corridors for Canada.

We also had our Premier raise this issue at his Western Premiers Conference. So we are using every avenue we have out there to bring the message to the federal government and we certainly agree with the Member that this is a well needed structured road that has to be continued to be improved to the point where it’s an all-weather road. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Supplementary, Mr. Yakeleya.

Supplementary To Question 72-15(4): All-Weather Road For The Sahtu

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Maybe this government can do one for old Diefenbaker’s vision here and push it over the hill, so we can get an all-weather road in the Sahtu and have the federal government give us full support and attention to this matter. Can the Minister advise of any type of public consultation that his department has undertaken with the people of the Sahtu to build an all-weather road in the Sahtu region?

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. Minister McLeod.

Further Return To Question 72-15(4): All-Weather Road For The Sahtu

Madam Speaker, we have had several meetings in the Member's riding. We have been there on a very regular basis over this past year. The issue of an all-weather road or the condition of the Mackenzie Valley winter road has come up on more than one occasion at every meeting. It’s a huge concern. It’s a significant cost factor. That’s something that we recognize. We’ve also, as part of our consultation, contacted the stakeholders with our proposal, our new draft of our proposal, including the Member. He will be receiving a copy of this proposal. We are also contacting the chamber of commerce and the trucking association. So we are trying to contact as many people as we can to get some feedback to see if everyone is in agreement that we are on the right track. So that consultation process is ongoing and we will be packaging it up sometime later on this year to bring it forward to the federal government for consideration.

Thank you, Minister McLeod. Supplementary, Mr. Yakeleya.

Supplementary To Question 72-15(4): All-Weather Road For The Sahtu

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, regarding the consultation, is there a specific forum that the people in the Sahtu can get together and talk about the strategy and an all-weather road in the Sahtu? I appreciate the Minister’s steady trips into the Sahtu and the people appreciate that. What I am looking for, Madam Speaker, is that the Minister can have a specific forum so people in the Sahtu can get together and talk specifically about an all-weather road strategy into the Sahtu so the Minister can take notice and put it into a package for the federal government. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. Minister McLeod.

Further Return To Question 72-15(4): All-Weather Road For The Sahtu

Madam Speaker, we are in the process of updating our long-term strategy. The document Investing in Roads was put together in 2000 with consultation with all regions. It’s something we would like to update this year. As part of that, we will be talking with the community leaders and we are also hosting a conference, or we just recently hosted a get together with the contractors and some of the people who work for us and do the maintenance on it to see what we can do in terms of improvement.

As for the Department of Transportation to hold a conference, I don’t think that’s something we were planning to do and I don’t know if that’s something I would be interested in doing at this point. We have gathered a lot of information over the years. We know the different costs that are required to build roads in the Dogrib region, in the Sahtu or in the Beaufort-Delta. So we have the information. We know there is a need there; we just need to find the right avenue to get the federal government to agree to fund it. That’s what we are doing. If there is a need by the Member for us to have a meeting or specific community meetings, we would be happy to do that as we continue to travel into his riding. Thank you.

Thank you, Minister McLeod. Final supplementary, Mr. Yakeleya.

Supplementary To Question 72-15(4): All-Weather Road For The Sahtu

Thank you, Madam Speaker. With the Minister continuing to travel into the communities, hopefully one day he will be able to drive into our communities. The Sahtu is having an annual gathering in August in Colville Lake. I would invite the Minister to that meeting and have a meeting there with the people. Would the Minister consider looking at this type of meeting with our people in terms of bringing the solution to the Sahtu who know the solution: Build the road that can be done over a number of years by using a community approach method and connect all the communities in the Sahtu before connecting down south? This year, I understand there is going to be about $60 million going into the economy of the Sahtu with oil and gas. I think it’s about time the federal government, through the Minister, pays high attention to building an all-weather road in the Sahtu. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. I think it was a question in response to an invitation to come to a gathering in the Sahtu. Mr. McLeod.

Further Return To Question 72-15(4): All-Weather Road For The Sahtu

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, we are always very interested and happy to go into the Sahtu, as we have demonstrated over this past year. Anytime we go to the community, many issues come up and the road, I am sure, will be at the top of the list. We have heard the message from the Member. We have heard the message from his communities that connecting the communities is a very important role. There are other areas in the NWT that need also to be given some attention to be able to connect and improve transportation links within the community. That is an area we will be focussing on as we draft our proposals. We will keep that in consideration. Rather than focus strictly on reconstruction as a result of high pressures from resource development, this time around we will take into consideration the need to have good transportation links amongst our communities and that will be part of our focus. Thank you.