Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Member from MacKenzie Delta.

hank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I'd to welcome first my two pages from Aklavik, Taylor McLeod and Gord Papik. Also their chaperone and my CA, Liz Wright. I'd also like to recognize Joseph and Lisa Carnogursky. Joseph is running for the GTC President right now and I wish him well. Also James Pokiak and his wife. I've attended a number of meetings with James in the past and it's good to see him here. Thank you.

Masi. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. I also would like to welcome the U.S. delegates. It's always great to have guests from outside NWT, Northwest Territories, and also outside Canada. So welcome, glad you're here with us. Those that we may have missed in the gallery, welcome. It's always nice to have guest presence in the gallery in our proceedings. Masi. Item 6, acknowledgements. Item 7, oral questions. Member from Nahendeh.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as you heard in my Member's statement, I have some questions for the Minister of Transportation regarding the construction resurfacing on Highway No. 7. Mr. Speaker, can the Minister please tell this House who the successful contractor was for this project? Thank you. Mr. Speaker.

Masi. Minister of Transportation.

Thank you. Mr. Speaker. I probably have to confirm to see if that's public knowledge if I can mention that in the House today. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, I've been told by contractors in my riding that it is a southern company, but can I get confirmation if this contract has a northern component to it?

From the information that I've received on this the contractor has a Northern component of local hires and a local contractor that will be assisting on this contract.

I guess his information's a little bit different than mine, and I'm trying to understand where this information come from because when I was in the community this past weekend on Friday, there was no confirmation that this is happening, so can the Minister please provide rationale or reasons how this information came available?

I will commit to the Member that I will go back to the department and get that exact information for him who the northern local contact is, contractors that will be assisting on this contract. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. Oral questions. Member for Nahendeh.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and I thank the Minister for that answer. Can he also explain to this House how they're going to guarantee that this Northern contact is actually going to be implemented throughout this contract 'cause in the past there's some concerns that it wasn't followed through. So could the Minister please provide how they're going to be able to present that information in the House. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I will have to go back to the department and find out exactly how we are going to track this stuff. I will share that information with the Member as soon as I can get that information to him. Thank you, Mr. Speaker

Masi. Oral questions. Member for Nunakput.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, earlier I spoke about the opening of the Inuvik to Tuk Highway and the questions are for the Minister of Transportation. Mr. Speaker, my first question is can the Minister tell us about the current status of the Inuvik to Tuk Highway project? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Minister of Transportation.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As I have stated last week in the House on my update, the Inuvik-Tuktoyaktuk Highway construction project remains on schedule within the approved budget of $299 million. The project has employed over 500 people at the peak of this winter's construction season. Approximately 74 per cent of the workforce came from the Beaufort Delta Region. As the winter construction season has come to a close, the company will be preparing to move on with next season's surfacing of the top layer of gravel on the highway and finishing off the remaining three-and-a-half kilometres’ embankment. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I appreciate the response from the Minister. Mr. Speaker, my second question is how is the Government of the Northwest Territories working with Canada as well as Inuvik and Tuktoyaktuk to prepare for the grand opening?

A lead person within the Department of Transportation will be developing an opening ceremony and will be working in conjunction with the communities, with the other GNWT departments, and with the Government of Canada to ensure adequate input is received from all stakeholders. We are anticipating having a concept and preliminary plan for the grand opening later this summer in 2016.

Mr. Speaker, my third question is: have we considered ways to let all Canadians be part of how we are going to mark this historical event?

The department and the federal government are partners, and we are certainly open to receiving any ideas and encouraging all Canadians to help in order to celebrate this historic event. So we look forward to any ideas of how we want to do this grand opening.

Masi. Oral questions. Member for Nunakput.

Quyanainni, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my final question is can the Minister speak on some of the ways the government has been preparing to mitigate the possible negative impacts of the highway, such as unforeseen major maintenance costs? Quyanainni, Mr. Speaker.

The department anticipates the road will lead to opportunities in the Beaufort Delta, including lowering the cost of living to the community of Tuktoyaktuk, lead to more affordable housing, and promote economic development and tourism in the region.