Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to bring to the attention of this House an issue that I have raised several times. There are petitions tabled in this House with some 135 signatures from the residents of Aklavik requesting that they replace the curling rink, which has been condemned and has been shut down for several years. The facility is over 25 years old.
Mr. Speaker, I have raised this issue several times in this House. There have been public meetings with the hamlet council and officials from MACA in the community of Aklavik to see if there is a possibility of ensuring this will come to light. In the meeting that was held in Aklavik last spring, it was clear that in 2002-2003, there were going to be monies available to develop the rink and also in 2003-2004, to begin the construction and completion of that curling rink.
Yet, Mr. Speaker, nowhere in the new capital plan expenditures that have been raised through this new concept of allowing the deputy ministers to determine which capital will be built in our communities without input from the MLA or from the communities. Yet, Mr. Speaker, we state that there needs to be community input, there needs to be more openness. We talk about community empowerment. We talk about regional initiatives but this is a good example of how communities and the government could work on projects to improve the life and social conditions in our communities.
Again, Mr. Speaker, I have written letters to the Minister responsible with no replies on this matter. With that, Mr. Speaker, I will be asking the Minister a question on this matter later on. Thank you.