Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the Inuvik to Tuk Highway is scheduled to open in 2018. Canada will be connected from coast to coast to coast. It is an important milestone in the evolution of the north and is another change in the region that has experienced dramatic irreversible changes as the people of the Arctic move from the Stone Age to Jet Age into the digital age in a matter of a few generations. Soon we’ll be connected to the rest of the continent by an all-weather road. Mr. Speaker, in many ways it’s a good thing. It will increase opportunities for social and cultural interaction and economic development. It will reduce isolation, increase mobility and expand learning and training opportunities. The possibility of the road to Whati will have major beneficial impacts for that particular region as I have seen in my riding of Nunakput. Mr. Speaker, are we prepared for the negative impacts of increased mobility and activity in the area? A road has a noticeable impact on remote communities for bad as well as good; it creates easier access to drugs and alcohol; more disruption to the community with people coming and going, families fall apart. We already see that, not only in my riding but across the Northwest Territories, especially in regions like the Tlicho and the Sahtu where winter roads spike alcohol-related violence and bring unwanted social problems to the community. People can no longer benefit from economic opportunities because their lives are controlled by addictions. Unforeseen maintenance costs of the highway erode the overall funding available to address social needs or support and making productive choices.
Mr. Speaker, we need to take advantage of the construction period to prepare the community in terms of social infrastructure needs. Local, regional, and territorial governments need to plan to promote the new highway. The opening of the Inuvik to Tuk Highway is a major event, not just for the Northwest Territories but also for Canada. Both territorial and federal governments have a significant financial commitment to this highway. It has been closely monitored around the world for its unique engineering, design and construction. The grand opening deserves recognition and celebration nationwide. Mr. Speaker, people are interested in how the GNWT and Canada are planning to mark this historic event.
Mr. Speaker, like many people in my riding, I look forward to the completion of the Inuvik to Tuk Highway but I also want to ensure we’re working together so that the benefits of this project outweigh ills. I strongly encourage the Beaufort Delta communities and the government to prepare for it to take full advantage of the opportunities of a new highway. Quyanainni, Mr. Speaker.
Hear, hear.
---Applause
Masi. Members’ statements. Member for Yellowknife Centre.
