Debates of November 30, 2007 (day 6)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, one of the most important priorities facing this 16th Legislative Assembly is developing a plan to improve northern infrastructure. This plan should help facilitate our economy and improve mobility so we can improve the quality of life for a lower cost of living for our people. This is particularly true in the more isolated and remote communities, many of which currently lack year-round road access. For example, my home community of Tuktoyaktuk has no year-round road access but is served in the winter months by a 187-kilometre ice road constructed by the Department of Transportation.

Mr. Speaker, the construction of an all-weather link to Tuktoyaktuk has been talked about for as long as I can remember. It started far back in the 1960s by the federal government. This road is linked to the rest of Canada, the Arctic Ocean to connect the country from coast to coast to coast. It was an important priority in previous transportation strategies prepared by the Government of the Northwest Territories, such as the road could form part of the system running down the Mackenzie Valley from Wrigley to Tuktoyaktuk. That would provide an all-weather road access for the communities to facilitate resource development in the Mackenzie Delta, the Mackenzie Valley and the Delta. Mr. Speaker, this road would have many positive benefits for the people in the Northwest Territories. It would eliminate costly reliance on air transport, winter ice roads, barging, shipping of supplies and materials for development of projects and community resupply. It would provide more efficient, reliable transportation systems to explore and develop gas deposits in the Mackenzie Valley, the Sahtu and the Beaufort regions. It would dramatically increase tourism potential to the beautiful part of the country. The first phase…Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to proceed with my statement.

The Member is seeking unanimous consent to conclude his statement. Are there any nays? There are no nays. You may conclude your statement, Mr. Jacobson.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. First of all, I’m here today for my 22-kilometre access road to 177…

Hear! Hear!

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...stretched from gravel road to the community of Tuktoyaktuk and to gravel deposits, which is greatly needed. An important benefit of the access road to the people of Tuktoyaktuk is it would provide the community with year-round access to gravel, would open new land for the community as a backdoor for safety issues with regard to global warming, expansion would allow the new infrastructure developments to deal with existing issues such as access to land. I need a new graveyard for the community, which is full; water source; sewage lagoon; dumpsite. A great deal of work has been done for the community by the Department of Transportation, for which I’m very grateful, and others to update engineering, economic, environmental land issues associated with Tuktoyaktuk’s access road. Now it is time for the government to show financial commitment to this project. Mr. Speaker, it costs $15 million…

Mr. Jacobson, could I get you to wrap up your statement, please.

Later today I will have some questions concerning my access road for my people of Tuktoyaktuk. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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