This is page numbers 1817 – 1858 of the Hansard for the 17th Assembly, 4th 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 going.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu. The honourable Member for Hay River South, Mrs. Groenewegen.

Jane Groenewegen

Jane Groenewegen Hay River South

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In follow up to my Member’s statement today, I have some questions for the Minister of Transportation. In this tentative agreement we have with the federal government for the construction of a highway from Inuvik to Tuk, I would like to ask the Minister, in his discussions with the federal government, has the topic of the ongoing cost of the operations and maintenance of that highway ever been raised. Thank you.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. Minister of Transportation, Mr. Ramsay.

David Ramsay

David Ramsay Kam Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The ongoing maintenance and operation of that highway would be the responsibility of the Government of the Northwest Territories like other highways in the territory. So the answer would be no.

Jane Groenewegen

Jane Groenewegen Hay River South

I would like to ask the Minister if he could give us an approximate cost of what it cost to maintain the 2,200 kilometres we currently have of all-weather road in the Northwest Territories, a ballpark figure. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

David Ramsay

David Ramsay Kam Lake

I don’t have that figure and I’d be guessing, but I can perhaps read the Member’s mind. The projections on the maintenance costs of the Inuvik-Tuk highway would be approximately $2 million a year. Thank you.

Jane Groenewegen

Jane Groenewegen Hay River South

I was hoping that the Minister would give me an amount so I could figure it out per kilometre. If it was a high amount, I was going to tell him that’s exactly why we can’t afford to spend more. If it was a low amount, I was going to tell him that’s why we can’t afford anything else because we can’t even keep with the roads we’ve got. I was ready for it.

Mr. Speaker, when we built the Deh Cho Bridge, it was self-financing. Does the Minister see any aspect of self-financing from the use of the Inuvik-Tuk highway? Thank you.

David Ramsay

David Ramsay Kam Lake

I think now is the time for the government to invest in an infrastructure project like the Inuvik-Tuk highway. Now is the right time. We have to think long term. One of the criticisms, when you talk to companies that want to do business here in the Northwest Territories, is the lack of infrastructure. Putting a road between Inuvik and Tuktoyaktuk is going to do a tremendous amount to the future economic prosperity of that region. It’s going to grow an economy outside of Yellowknife in a region of our territory that needs that type of activity. It will lead to resource development both onshore and offshore. It will connect those two communities. It will lead to further tourism opportunities in the region. There is a number of great, compelling reasons why the government needs to act now to build the Inuvik-Tuk highway. We need to make those type of decisions now, that are going to be benefitting this territory for generations to come. Thank you.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. Final, short supplementary, Mrs. Groenewegen.

Jane Groenewegen

Jane Groenewegen Hay River South

Thank you for that lovely speech. I’m all for growing the economy outside of Yellowknife, as everybody knows. But I’d like to ask the Minister, how did the traffic projections for this projected road, this planned road, compare with other regions and other all-weather roads throughout the Northwest Territories. Thank you.

David Ramsay

David Ramsay Kam Lake

Mr. Speaker, for that level of detail, I can get that and commit to get that to the Member. Certainly, this road will be the first one to get to the Arctic Coast in Canada. It’s going to connect the country from coast to coast to coast, and our belief is we are going to see a lot of interested parties that want to drive this road to get to the Arctic Coast. Currently, you have to fly in there or take the ice road in the winter. It’s a great opportunity for the region, a great opportunity for our territory and a great opportunity for this country. Thank you.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. The Member for Nahendeh, Mr. Menicoche.

Kevin A. Menicoche

Kevin A. Menicoche Nahendeh

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Earlier today in my Member’s statement, I spoke about our Health department working with the BC Health ministry and their northern health authority about having Fort Liard residents utilize their services.

I’d like to ask the Minister of Health and Social Services, do we have a current arrangement with BC Health or any of its authorities currently? Thank you.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. Minister of Health and Social Services, Mr. Beaulieu.

Tom Beaulieu

Tom Beaulieu Tu Nedhe

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We do not have arrangements currently with BC Health.

Kevin A. Menicoche

Kevin A. Menicoche Nahendeh

As I indicated in my Member’s statement, I think by having an agreement with the BC Health ministry will certainly impact and even lower our health costs in terms of medical travel as well.

Can the Minister investigate what process will it take to having a working agreement with the BC Health ministry as we did in the old Capital Health System with Alberta? Thank you.

Tom Beaulieu

Tom Beaulieu Tu Nedhe

Mr. Speaker, yes, I am prepared to have the Department of Health and Social Services have discussions between the leadership in Fort Liard, Deh Cho Health and Social Services, to discuss the feasibility of using the health system out of Fort Nelson, British Columbia. We will use our agreements with Alberta as a guide to hold those discussions. Thank you.

Kevin A. Menicoche

Kevin A. Menicoche Nahendeh

Already our Fort Liard residents are utilizing the Fort Nelson health system on their own costs. Will the Minister also investigate the possibility of reimbursing patients in Fort Liard going to Fort Nelson, at least for routine care? They’re using the dentist, they’re getting health check-ups. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Tom Beaulieu

Tom Beaulieu Tu Nedhe

Mr. Speaker, normally we don’t have a system where we pay retroactively on medical travel and so on within our own system. Right within our system we don’t have that possibility. But I will look at having a system where if it’s medical travel, just like we do medical travel into Alberta, there would be medical travel from Fort Liard. As opposed to going to Simpson, they’re going down to Fort Nelson and it would be just like the regular medical travel system. I will look at that. Thank you.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu. Final, short supplementary, Mr. Menicoche.

Kevin A. Menicoche

Kevin A. Menicoche Nahendeh

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I think the Minister is on the right track. Once we get an agreement, I think the travel between Fort Liard and Fort Nelson will certainly take care of itself.

Just once more, will the Minister contact the BC Health ministry and begin these discussions, as well as involve the community of Fort Liard and its residents? Thank you.

Tom Beaulieu

Tom Beaulieu Tu Nedhe

I will commit to having our department, Health and Social Services, the executive office, start those discussions and we will make contact with BC Health in Nelson and also

discuss that with the leadership in Fort Liard. Thank you.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu. Member for Hay River North, Mr. Bouchard.

Robert Bouchard

Robert Bouchard Hay River North

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As I indicated in my Member’s statement, the loss to Hay River and the South Slave of the Greyhound service has been detrimental to the spectacular North. My question today will be for the Minister of ITI.

Has the department looked at re-establishing this service into the North?

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Mr. Bouchard. Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment, Mr. Ramsay.