This is page numbers 15 - 38 of the Hansard for the 13th Assembly, 7th Session. The original version can be accessed on the Legislative Assembly's website or by contacting the Legislative Assembly Library. The word of the day was nunavut.

Topics

Vince Steen

Vince Steen Nunakput

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate the Nunavut Members who are elected to the Nunavut Cabinet, as well as to the Nunavut Legislative Assembly.

I would also like to take this opportunity to advise my constituents that I have been informed that there is a meeting of stakeholders for the highway committee between Inuvik and Tuktoyaktuk, and that meeting will be scheduled to happen on Thursday, March 18th, in Inuvik, and I will be attending this particular meeting. At the appropriate time today, I will be asking the appropriate Minister, Mr. Roland, whether he will be attending the meeting as well.

--Applause

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Thank you. Members' statements. Ms. Thompson.

Manitok Thompson Aivilik

(Translation) Thank you, Mr. Speaker, also my colleagues, my fellow MLAs who are able to attend the meeting here, also the Premier-elect, I would like to welcome him to our Legislative Assembly; and I would like to thank my constituents in Rankin South, also Whale Cove. I will be representing them at the Nunavut Legislative Assembly and I would like to thank them for electing me on February 15th. I would like to congratulate the communities that I was representing, Repulse Bay, Chesterfield Inlet and Coral Harbour. I represented them in the previous Legislature, and I will be asking to represent Baker Lake and Rankin for electing them, and I would like you to be pleased as well, for having me in this Legislature. Thank you. (Translation ends)

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Thank you. Members' statements. Mr. Barnabas.

Levi Barnabas High Arctic

(Translation) Thank you, Mr. Speaker. First I would like to thank my constituents from the High Arctic, and it is going to be the constituency of Quttiktumiut under the Nunavut Legislature. Also, I would like to thank the people who were elected in the Nunavut Legislature, and I would like to welcome the Premier-elect for the Nunavut Government. I would also like to thank the western MLAs for sitting with me in this Legislature, and my other colleagues who were represented in this Legislature. Thank you. (Translation ends)

--Applause

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Thank you. Members' statements. Mr. Antoine.

Jim Antoine Nahendeh

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the people that I represent in the six communities in Nahendeh, I would like to congratulate the new Nunavut government, the Premier-elect, Paul Okalik, is here, and the Interim Commissioner, and I want to say that we, in the west, in my constituency, they are very concerned and very curious about what is going on in Nunavut, and we wish them all the best.

It was said that I was going to go east, I think there was an outstanding commitment to hopefully go to Coral Harbour and look at the Kerchoffer River bridge, and also I had wanted to go walrus hunting or something. I hope those opportunities are still there after division. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

--Applause

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Thank you. Members' statements. Mr. Evaloarjuk.

Mark Evaloarjuk Amittuq

(Translation) Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and your Honour. I think I have to also thank, first of all, people that we had just heard, the aboriginal organizations that have been developing in their regions since the 1970's. I knew the people when I was representing ACL, some of the Dene people are represented in the cooperative movement. Also for a federation of cooperative federation had membership from the Dene regions, as well as the Inuit regions. They are very well represented and have good representation from the Dene areas. I would like to thank them very much for helping me out.

I would like to thank, as well, my constituents from Igloolik as well as Hall Beach who have elected me, even though I was not elected in majority. I would like to thank the people who voted for me. Also all of my fellow Inuit, even though I will not be attending the Nunavut Legislature, we are always involved in the decision-making process, so I will be helping both sides of the western Legislature as well as the eastern Legislature. Our representatives who are going to be representing us from my region, I will be helping and supporting them in regard to financial matters. The financial situation in Nunavut will have to be taken care of and even though we are not going to be right at the legislation part, we will support the MLAs in that region from the eastern Arctic. I will be seeing them in that area, I am sure. Thank you.(Translation ends)

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Members' statements. Item 4, returns to oral questions. Item 5, recognition of visitors in the gallery. Mr. Roland.

Item 5: Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery
Item 5: Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery

Page 21

Floyd Roland

Floyd Roland Inuvik

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. For those who are wondering why I did not send greetings to my wife and children back home, I have the opportunity today to recognize them here in the gallery. My son Samuel in the front row and beside him is Justin. In the back there is Courtney and Quincey and in the arms of my lovely wife is Mitchell, and of course, my wife who has kept our family in organization while I have been spending a lot of time down here. Thank you.

--Applause

Item 5: Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery
Item 5: Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery

Page 21

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Thank you. Welcome to the Assembly. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Mr. O'Brien.

Item 5: Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery
Item 5: Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery

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O'Brien

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to recognize a friend of mine, a constituent from Arviat, Lawrence Pameolik.

--Applause

Item 5: Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery
Item 5: Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery

Page 21

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Thank you. Welcome to the Assembly. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. For the rest of the people, welcome to the Assembly. Item 6, oral questions. Mr. Steen.

Vince Steen

Vince Steen Nunakput

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is directed to the Minister of Transportation, the Honourable Floyd Roland. Mr. Speaker, as I said in my statement, I referred to the fact that there is a committee meeting planned in Inuvik on Thursday, March 18, for consideration of exactly what is happening towards development or construction of the road between Inuvik and Tuktoyaktuk, how far the plans are advancing, and as well as what exactly happened with the consultant's report.

That I believe is what we have been told what the meeting is going to consist of. I plan to be at that particular meeting. Mr. Roland, who also has constituents with a very large interest in this road going ahead, no doubt has constituents who would like to know what his opinions are now that he is a Minister. I would like to know if Mr. Roland, as the Minister of Transportation, plans to attend this meeting at all? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

The Minister of Transportation, Mr. Roland.

Return To Question 6-13(7): Inuvik To Tuktoyaktuk Highway Planning
Question 6-13(7): Inuvik To Tuktoyaktuk Highway Planning
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 21

Floyd Roland

Floyd Roland Inuvik

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to thank the Member from Nunakput, Mr. Steen, for that question. I will be attending, I just so happen to be travelling back to my constituency of Inuvik that day and will be taking part in the strategy meeting that will be taking place in Inuvik. The Member is correct, there are a number of issues that are ongoing and following up on further meetings as to where we are right now with the strategies. We will be taking that information, and I am hopeful that I can present to my Cabinet colleagues as we wrap up these strategies with a number of options to move forward with. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

--Applause

Return To Question 6-13(7): Inuvik To Tuktoyaktuk Highway Planning
Question 6-13(7): Inuvik To Tuktoyaktuk Highway Planning
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 21

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Oral questions. Supplementary, Mr. Steen.

Supplementary To Question 6-13(7): Inuvik To Tuktoyaktuk Highway Planning
Question 6-13(7): Inuvik To Tuktoyaktuk Highway Planning
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 21

Vince Steen

Vince Steen Nunakput

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In supplementary, would the Minister be confirming then that this particular meeting, at this point in time, the government has no strategy in place?

Supplementary To Question 6-13(7): Inuvik To Tuktoyaktuk Highway Planning
Question 6-13(7): Inuvik To Tuktoyaktuk Highway Planning
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 22

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Mr. Roland.

Further Return To Question 6-13(7): Inuvik To Tuktoyaktuk Highway Planning
Question 6-13(7): Inuvik To Tuktoyaktuk Highway Planning
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 22

Floyd Roland

Floyd Roland Inuvik

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In fact, the Department of Transportation which I now represent has been working on a strategy. There are four, I am sure everyone is aware, the Slave Geological Province, the Mackenzie Valley Highway, Inuvik/Tuktoyaktuk Highway and the acceleration of Highway #3 reconstruction; those are, in fact, all being worked on at this time. As I said earlier, hopefully we will be able to come up with a number of options in the very near future that I can take forward to my Cabinet colleagues. We do have, in fact, a strategy that is under way but I could not give the Member a strategy in hand today because it is not complete. Thank you.

Further Return To Question 6-13(7): Inuvik To Tuktoyaktuk Highway Planning
Question 6-13(7): Inuvik To Tuktoyaktuk Highway Planning
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 22

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Oral questions. Supplementary, Mr. Steen.

Supplementary To Question 6-13(7): Inuvik To Tuktoyaktuk Highway Planning
Question 6-13(7): Inuvik To Tuktoyaktuk Highway Planning
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 22

Vince Steen

Vince Steen Nunakput

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Would the Minister be prepared to confirm that at this point in time the highway between Tuktoyaktuk and Inuvik is still an option, it would be considered as part of the strategy?

Supplementary To Question 6-13(7): Inuvik To Tuktoyaktuk Highway Planning
Question 6-13(7): Inuvik To Tuktoyaktuk Highway Planning
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 22

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Mr. Roland.

Further Return To Question 6-13(7): Inuvik To Tuktoyaktuk Highway Planning
Question 6-13(7): Inuvik To Tuktoyaktuk Highway Planning
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 22

Floyd Roland

Floyd Roland Inuvik

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yes, I would like to confirm with the Member that the Inuvik/Tuktoyaktuk highway is still a part of the strategy and is still an option that will be worked on. As I said, again, once we have completed all the strategies and wrap up, I will be able to present to my colleagues in Cabinet options from that point on we will be able to move forward with. Thank you.