Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The motion here speaks to allocate some needs. I certainly have driven the Dempster Highway. I went there a couple of years, and I know how dusty it is. I said to several Members that I can’t believe that in this day and age driving the highway was so dusty. It’s dangerous — very, very dangerous. I’ve also driven Highway No. 6, a very rough road also. I have had the opportunity to drive Highway No. 7. Highway No. 7 is pretty good. You know, there are a couple of spots that need improvement. I’ve certainly driven the highway to Fort Smith, a good highway. I know there is a need for the highways here.
I’m somewhat bewildered, because the honourable Members here are talking about highways, and our highway in the Sahtu shuts down on March 31
and
opens up in January.
So we will certainly look at these and other communities that do not have highways. It is
something we continue pressing for in our region and other regions that do not have roads into the communities on a seasonal basis. I know it, because I’ve been on those highways. I think that some of them, especially for the Inuvik region…. I’ve been on the Dempster, and I would say that road really needs to be looked at in terms of the quality. As the deputy minister says, also look at the integrity of the highway to improve it.
Mr. Chair, my understanding is that the roads were given to us by the federal government with certain conditions and that we have to abide by certain standards in Canada to bring them up. In this day and age the funding that we get as a territorial government is very little, even to put bridges in my region. It’s very hard to get bridges in my region, let alone put them in there and get them in on time. The people in my region talk about the goat trail into my region.
This issue is a long one in my region, but I will be supporting the Member’s motion in terms of allocating some of the dollars here. I’d like to also remind you that there are communities that do not live on the highway system, that have to live on the winter road system and fly in their food.
I know what this discussion’s about. I certainly keep pressing this government about other needs in the regions that do not have highways, that are looking forward to one day having a highway into their region. I’ll be speaking more on that as we go forward through the budget. I know it’s a challenge for this government; it’s also challenging our community on transportation issues. Some of the other areas need to be looked at more closely in terms of safety for the people in their regions.