Thank you, Mr. Chair. I, too, would like to thank the Minister and his staff for making presentations to us during committee meetings and to answer some questions. I am going to talk about a few things about what is not in here, but what needs to be in here.
We talked about junior kindergarten and upgrades, especially the playground fencing on the work sites. I understand that the department has developed a priority with washrooms and that. However, we are talking about safety. We are talking about young kids, and if they have access to these other playgrounds, the potential situation of - I have worked in the field a number of times, and I have heard and seen tragedies out there, unfortunately. Therefore, I wish the department and the government would look at that and actually put investment into that area.
I would like to thank the government for the Sambaa K'e Health Centre, and it is great to see it is in the plan. However, there is a little bit of an issue in that the health centre used to be one of the community's sources of income, and unfortunately the Departments of Infrastructure and Health were not able to connect with the communities to get the communities to build this project.
I am not going to talk about that one, but I would like to see, with the Jean Marie Health Centre, the two departments to start working with the communities, the community of Jean Marie, to start looking at what they need to do so they can build it themselves, and they can be leased back to the government. I would like to see this started sooner than later, because this gives an opportunity for the community to have some income and to provide a needed service in the community.
The other issue with Health and Social Services is that in Fort Liard there is a need for a morgue, and right now the body ends up either having to be shipped to Fort Nelson, up to Fort Simpson, or, for whatever reason, they end up in a garage. That is not being very respectful. I know the Department of Health and Social Services is working on it, but I do not see it in the capital plan, and I think it needs to be addressed.
ENR and their communication towers, I see that in the capital plan. I think it is a really good step. However, I have one in Nahanni Butte that we had a little bit of an issue with. I have to give full credit to the department. They did a great job. The Department of MACA did a really good job. I am hoping to be able to do a Member's statement on what they did, but the communication, once they are on the other side of the river, does not work. Presently, Blackstone River has a tower there. An antenna could be put up there that could reach the Fort Liard crossing and area. It could actually address that safety issue, and it would help people on the road, as well, so I would hope that the department would look at this. I know we are looking at a capital plan, and that is probably one of the problems I have, when we see these issues that come up, sometimes we cannot address them through the capital plan process, so I would hope that we are able to address that.
The ITI, I thank the department. They have actually been able to work with the community, and they are going to do a pavilion there, which is great. However, it is not the same type of pavilion that is offered at the Alberta border, the Alberta-territorial border, nor is it the same as the one that is offered in Dawson City; it is manned, and it has an opportunity for employment. I would have hoped that that pavilion would have been built a little bit bigger so that we would have a person there who would be able to promote not just the Nahendeh region and Fort Liard, but the whole territories. A lot of people are looking at that, and that was a concern from them.
I would like to thank the Department of Infrastructure for putting money into Highway No. 7. We have heard in previous Assemblies that it has been a challenge, and it is getting better. It is getting improved, and I would like to thank them for that. However, Highway No. 1, there are some concerns, and I will have some questions for the Minister throughout the rest of the session. There is a section of road from 205 to 220, I believe it is, which was chipsealed, and we have had problems with it. It continues to be a challenge, so I will be asking some questions of the Minister there.
The other part is the Wrigley road. I unfortunately got to travel 1,155 kilometers this year on the southern roads. The only road I did not get to go on was from Fort Resolution Junction to Fort Resolution, and the Wrigley road was probably the most interesting one. We did have some pretty interesting bumps and roller-coaster rides, as some of my constituents say. I would be hoping that the department would be working on it and fixing it up.
I have two last comments. One is about the Housing Corporation. I appreciate the work that the Housing Corporation is doing, but I would like to see the Housing Corporation start looking at tiny homes and getting them into these smaller communities because, unfortunately for me and some of my communities, I have 10 to 12 people in some of the homes and three generations. People like young adults who are looking at trying to get their own homes, into their own places, I think tiny homes would be a solution.
The NWT Power Corporation, I honestly believe it is time, as my other colleagues have mentioned here, for it to be brought into the capital plan. It is no different than the Housing Corporation. The Housing Corporation used to be outside, to my understanding, and now they are brought into it and it is brought here so we can look at it. If it needs to be in camera and done that way, I think we can work it out, but I think it has to be brought forth that way.
Overall, most of my concerns through this budget, I would have to say that the majority of it I am very happy with. Thank you very much, Mr. Chair.