The option most mentioned at all the public hearings held by the committee is, cancel the proposal and work with stakeholders, aboriginal groups, communities and other members of the public to explore other options. The passage of Bills 9 and 10 represent considerable hardship for the residents and all sectors of the economy of the Northwest Territories.

Ms. Judy Harder of Inuvik made the following statement to the committee:

I oppose this toll tax because it is going to increase the freight rate on everything that we buy, whether it be clothing, food, fuel for our vehicles, whatever is brought up the highway is going to have an increased freight rate. There is nothing in the North that arrives here where if it does not come by truck, it comes by air. We already know that when the road closure happens, the air-freight cost is over a dollar a pound. If it is not coming by air, it is coming by truck.

My petition states that we the residents of Inuvik region oppose the proposed toll fee on the Dempster Highway. To even consider increasing the cost of freight to this region will increase the cost of living for every man, woman and child and that is unacceptable. We do not agree to an increase to our food costs, clothing costs, transportation costs, fuel costs, everything that we buy. We request that the Government of the Northwest Territories rescind this proposal. (Committee transcript, Inuvik, August 27, 2001, page 11)