Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, on August 23rd, a heavy equipment contractor in Cambridge Bay submitted a land use application to establish a sand quarry and for constructing a five to six-kilometre haul road to a site southwest of the community.
On September 8th, a land use permit was issued by DIAND's Inuvik office authorizing the work to proceed. This permit was issued without any type of consultative process regarding the land use development. The contractor started construction of an access road on September 9th. To date, they have completed approximately four kilometres. This access road starts in an area approximately 10 kilometres from town and runs parallel to an area which is a traditional summer camping area where local families net char and dry their fish and caribou. This area is also utilized for sport fishing, picnics and other recreational pursuits of community residents.
Madam Speaker, upon discovering that the development was proceeding, municipal councillors voiced objections for the lack of consultation. Although support for the development on council was mixed, they all agreed that due process by DIAND was not undertaken. Council had planned a public meeting on October 5th to discuss the development with community residents. The issuance of the land use permit and the initiation of road construction undermined council's efforts to formalize a position on the issue.
DIAND officials advised council that the land use application was for an area covered by a Department of National Defence land reserve. The contractor had received permission from the Department of National Defence to extract the sand and to build an access road to the quarry site. DIAND issued the land use permit based on DND permission.
Madam Speaker, the development has taken place at a time when a minimum number of community residents travel to the affected area. In fact, I believe most community residents aren't even aware of the development. The road and sand quarry development have raised a lot of questions which should have been addressed prior to any land use permit being granted. Questions such as why the need for a permanent road, what amount of resources are being extracted, over what period of time will activity take place, were there alternate sand quarry sites investigated, and, most importantly, what disruption and impact will the development have on traditional users of the area.
I find the whole process surrounding the access road for a sand quarry very distasteful. Madam Speaker, as my time is up, I ask for unanimous consent to conclude my statement.