Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the Roads to Resources Initiative has captured the imagination and enthusiasm of people throughout the Northwest Territories. Of course, I share that enthusiasm. In particular, the construction of a road north through the mineral resource region is absolutely crucial to building a healthy and stable economic future for the Northwest Territories. Mr. Speaker, I can only imagine that some people are getting carried away in their enthusiasm. They are jumping ahead of the process.
This government has announced that it has budgeted $2 million to conduct engineering, economic and environmental studies on the roads to resources. Certainly, the concept of a road through the Slave province has been studied and re-studied over the years by many experts. Over the years the facts and I state, Mr. Speaker, the facts, have become clear that the most economical and feasible place to begin the road, if the road is going to serve its intended purpose, is to continue it on from the already constructed Ingraham Trail which runs east from Yellowknife. I am sure some of the $2 million allocated to further study will again carefully examine exactly where the starting point should be, which are no different than the road studies showing the road location between Inuvik and Tuktoyaktuk.
My question, is, Mr. Speaker, if the government has committed taxpayer dollars to studying this issue, why are not others willing to wait until the studies are completed and consider the facts? The Mayor of Hay River has called for the road to leave from Rae rather than Yellowknife. He is willing to spend taxpayers' money to lobby for the interests of one community in the territory over another when it is clear that there is no advantage to his community either way. I wonder what other motivation there could be for his position? Why is the Mayor of Hay River not also calling for the $2 million study to be cancelled? If the issue can be settled on the basis of politics, why are we carrying out engineering and economic studies. Surely, if you listen to the mayor then we may as well cancel the work. Apparently, there is no need to consider the facts. Mr. Speaker, I cannot support that approach, nor do I believe the people of the Northwest Territories will either. My research to date that I have conducted at least six studies have all indicated that the feasibility and logistical point of view Yellowknife should be the starting point of that highway. I am willing to wait for the current studies to bear that out. The late John Lennon said, Mr. Speaker, give peace a chance. I say, let us give the facts a chance. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.