Mahsi cho, Mr. Speaker. Today I will be talking about Lutselk’e and their desire to have a winter road to the community from Yellowknife.
Mr. Speaker, here in the NWT we have many communities that are isolated with no road access in and out of their community. These communities know all too well the challenges of living in their isolated communities. Lutselk’e is one such community. However, Mr. Speaker, unlike many isolated communities, Lutselk’e does not have the benefit of a winter road.
While residents in other communities can drive in and out of their community anytime they wish to in the winter road season, Lutselk’e residents must continue to pay as much as $400 each time they leave the community and come to Yellowknife. Sometimes that is just the beginning of their journey, Mr. Speaker.
To put it another way, when it comes to Christmas shopping, a family of four coming from Lutselk’e will pay close to $1,600 just to get here and back. That doesn’t include meals and accommodation, so at the end of the day, Mr. Speaker, there is not much left for shopping. It is just one of many examples of the disadvantages of having no winter road access.
Mr. Speaker, I know the government did consider the idea of a winter road to Lutselk’e before and deemed it too costly when compared to the status quo of using barges. Mr. Speaker, just because the government thinks it is not feasible, that shouldn’t be the end of the idea. What about the needs of the people and communities? With that kind of thinking and to be really cost efficient, everybody could be living in Yellowknife.
Mr. Speaker, the government must revisit the matter at this time and exercise due diligence and fully engage the people of Lutselk’e to make this work.
For example, Mr. Speaker, they will tell you that there is some uncertainty with the barge this summer. We all know the water levels have dropped to record lows and if the water levels continue to drop over the coming summer, it will force the issue. To avoid the issue, we need to start working on this now.
Mr. Speaker, some winter roads in the NWT are as long as 300 kilometres. With a 125-kilometre road into Thor Lake on a regular basis, it would only take another 115 kilometres to reach Lutselk’e.
Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.
---Unanimous consent granted
So, Mr. Speaker, it is within reach, and with the cooperation of industry I believe we can finally get a winter road to Lutselk’e.
Later on today I will have questions for the Minister of Transportation on this issue. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu. The honourable Member for Frame Lake, Ms. Bisaro
