Mahsi cho, Mr. Speaker. Today I will be talking about Deninu K’ue in Fort Resolution. I’d like to thank the Minister of Transportation and his department for the work done on Highway No. 6 to date. It’s a very good job. The job is not finished, however, Mr. Speaker. Highway No. 6 is 90 kilometres long and at this time there’s still about 40 kilometres that are gravel. Mr. Speaker, the department has done a very good job in addressing the worst areas first, but Highway No. 6 needs to be brought to a chipseal stage from the beginning to end.
Mr. Speaker, the majority of that 40 kilometres that’s still gravel is in pretty good condition. However, about 15 kilometres of that portion is very soft and dangerous if not rebuilt.
Twenty-four kilometres of Highway No. 6 was chipsealed over 30 years ago because of the existence of Pine Point. Even though Pine Point only existed from 1961 to 1987, the citizens enjoyed a paved highway for the majority of the town’s existence. Fort Resolution has existed before vehicles did and it will be 2011 before a portion of Highway No. 6 leading into that community is chipsealed.
The community wants all of Highway No. 6 to be chipsealed and this government must put some more infrastructure dollars into chipsealing this highway from beginning to end. A chipsealed highway into Fort Resolution will let the community know that the GNWT is working on equalizing services between smaller and larger communities.
I have spoken to members of Fort Resolution and they are looking forward to chipsealing their community and gaining the economies of scale when chipsealing from Little Buffalo River to Fort Resolution occurs this coming summer.
Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu. The honourable Member for Sahtu, Mr. Yakeleya.
