Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We are all aware of NTCL’s recent financial troubles. It’s a territorial issue. Barging is an essential service for many of the communities up the Mackenzie and in the Arctic. Concerns about the delivery of fuel and other supplies have been addressed by multiple Members in this House. Hay River is the base of operations for NTCL, and because of that we have additional concerns. Taking an educated guess, I would say NTCL probably has more land in Hay River than any other private entity, and probably by a large margin. Much of it is owned, but a fair amount is leased land. NT has operated out of Hay River for over 70 years. If they ultimately go under, there are serious concerns that these parcels of land will require extensive environmental remediation. There have also been barges sitting idle in the river for years, and there are questions about their effect on the environment. The question is: who would be responsible for the clean-up of the lands and waterways? If leased lands are returned to the town, the Town of Hay River could be on the hook for millions. On top of this, the town is owed nearly $700,000 in unpaid property taxes. Bankruptcy is not a foregone conclusion, but I’d like to know if the GNWT has a contingency plan as it relates to potential liabilities for the Town of Hay River. At the appropriate time, I will have questions for the Minister. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
