Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we know that the winters are warming as is our climate. We know that, over the years, the ice road season has shrunk and as the diamond mines develop, the issue of resupply is a constant problem. Mr. Speaker, the issue I would like to talk about today briefly is the all-weather road access up to the mines.
In the mid-'90s, after I first got elected, I attended some meetings with the Tlicho people and some of the people from Hay River to talk about the viability of a road to supply the mines. This road would be a multi-purpose road. It will be through the Tlicho region, connecting all of the communities in the Tlicho at the same time and continue north to resupply the mines.
Mr. Speaker, I believe it is time to revisit that suggestion and that concept. I think there is tremendous merit to that. It would ease the tremendous amount of traffic on the over-used portions of Highway No. 3. It would allow a direct route across the river, down the highway, up north to the mines. It would connect all of the communities in the Tlicho, which is long overdue.
I believe we, as the territorial government, should be sitting down with the Tlicho Government as well as the diamond mines to talk about this. I don't believe this is far fetched. I believe it is a very real, doable issue. As you look towards the 16th Assembly and how we are going to open the North and how we are going to deal, anticipate and adapt to climate change like the shrinking ice road season, this is one way to do that. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
---Applause