Over the years, there have been many different approaches to encourage people not to smoke here in the Northwest Territories.

One of the things that has been done is we've obviously been working with communities. We feel that communities are really one of the appropriate places to be leading some of this work, and many of the communities have included this type of initiative under their community wellness plans, but the Member is right and committee is right. We need to continue push as a department as well. The department, to that end, has recently launched the Let's Clear the Air campaign, which focuses on the importance of lung health. This campaign has launched in January of this year, and promotional materials have been shared across the entire Northwest Territories.

Last May we brought youth from across the Northwest Territories together as part of our commitment to healthy living and wellness. This gathering was a great opportunity to hear from youth and share information about healthy living. Workshops on lung health and smoking cessation were an incredibly important part of this event.

Our Healthy Living fairs, that the Member I'm sure is aware of, that travel around the Northwest Territories also provide an opportunity for residents in our small communities to learn directly about lung health and smoking cessation, through presentation and interactive learning opportunities. So if the Member hasn't has an opportunity, when one of these fairs comes to his community or region, I encourage you to go. I encourage everybody from your region to go and look at some of the interactive displays and other information that is available to show how important it is not to smoke for the residents of the Northwest Territories.

Masi. Oral questions. Member for Deh Cho.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yes, recently I did find myself in the community hall in Fort Providence and it was packed, and it wasn't because of the bingo; it was the health fair that was happening. So I just wanted to follow up with the Minister in terms of what are the plans in terms of maybe building upon the success of the health fairs that are happening throughout the NWT communities? Mahsi.

I'm glad the Member had an opportunity to attend one of the healthy living fairs; and I hope the Member had an opportunity to stroll through the giant colon and see the impacts of colon health and cancer.

For the rest of the Northwest Territories, it's certainly an interesting adventure. The health living fairs are an incredibly important tool. I think it's great that they're getting out to residents of the Northwest Territories, and I'm thrilled, absolutely thrilled, to hear that the event was packed. I think as MLAs, as Ministers, we all need to encourage our residents to go to these fairs and learn about prevention techniques and other things that can be done. We need to take care of ourselves. We all have some personal responsibility to live healthy, and the more people who can be educated, the better. So yes, these fairs are going to continue, they're important, and I encourage you to encourage your residents to attend and take a stroll through the giant colon. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. Oral questions. Member for Yellowknife North.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, for the last couple of days I've been talking about the road to the Slave Geological Province with regard to my Member's statements. This is obviously a very significant project that could provide many important benefits to the Northwest Territories. Mr. Speaker, it's a major piece of our mandate, but it still remains a little bit unclear as what to our vision and commitment for this critical piece of infrastructure really is. My questions are for the Minister of Infrastructure. Last year the Minister advised the Assembly that the government was conducting a P3 business case assessment of this critical piece of infrastructure. I wonder if the Minister can provide the House with an update with regard to this assessment? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Minister of Infrastructure.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. The P3 business case, we continue to work on it and it should be done shortly, if it isn't done already. I'd have to check on that. We have submitted our comprehensive proposal to the National Trades Corridor Fund with the federal government; we did that last November. We're hopefully going to hear about this funding in the coming months from federal government on what the uptake on that is going to be. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you to the Minister for his update. I'm hopeful that we're going to see a positive reply here from the federal government. So I guess the next question, then, would be: if the funding and the P3 is approved, can the Minister inform us what the actual next steps would be?

That's going to depend on the level of funding. This is a significant project that's been submitted, like I said, with the National Trades Corridor Fund, which is application-based with all of Canada. That's where it's sitting presently. There's $2 billion for the whole country. Depending on the level of funding we're getting, it could done in various stages. We'd have to conduct some environmental studies and some engineering studies before we can move to an environmental phase. Depending, of course, on the amount of funding we get, we're going to have to involve consultation in engaging people Indigenous groups and people in the Northwest Territories.

Thank you to the Minister for his reply. The Minister touched on the idea that we would have to undertake an environmental assessment. We know that recently a major concern is the potential impact that this corridor might have on the Bathurst caribou. We've seen roadways built in other areas that, you know, have had some effect on wildlife: our Highway 3 going south, we see bison along the road all the time; the Porcupine caribou have been crossing the Dempster for many years, and they are a thriving herd. We know the Bathurst is a fairly sensitive herd. They are, or are near being considered, an at-risk species. I just wonder: can the Minister advise what the Department of Infrastructure is doing or who they are working with to understand the impacts this road might have on the Bathurst herd?

As I said, this is early days of this project, but we are very mindful of the caribou, moving this whole project forward. Infrastructure has been working very closely with the Department of ENR to identify gaps, particularly around knowledge and opportunities around the caribou. We realize that, as this project advances, this type of work with ENR and others to explore the migration route options and to reduce the impacts of caribou on our proposed route would have to take place, and we will continue to do that.

Masi. Oral questions. Member for Kam Lake.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'd like to ask the Minister of Justice for an update on the perimeter fence at NSCC. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. Minister of Justice.

Yes. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Since the incident of August 2016, once we recognized that there were some improvements that needed to be conducted at the facility, early attempts were not as successful, as the bids came in at way above what we were expecting. However, we are still working on this, and hopefully this situation will be resolved in the near future. Thank you.

I'm going to quote from Hansard here from September 27. I quote the Minister saying, "I understand this project is now under construction and that it will be completed by mid-October. It is on course to be completed, as I say, by October, so the project, which I know has been long awaited by residents in the area, should be completed within the next couple of weeks."

Residents are still waiting, Mr. Speaker. What kind of timelines can the Minister give us? These are unacceptable delays.

There were really two projects here. I understand the work on the fence. There's the outer fence that work has been done on, and I'll have to check on that. The improvements that were considered necessary after the escape that took place in 2016 have not yet been completed. I'm hoping to bring good news about that shortly.

I won't read from Hansard more, but if you want to look at it, I say I criticize the Minister for hoping a lot and not promising firm results back then. I'll do the same now. Why are we only hoping for results on this fence? What is the hold-up? When can we get it done?

Again, I'm not certain whether the Member opposite is talking about the exterior fence or changes that are needed on top of the building. We are working on both of these projects. I understand that one had been completed. I'll have to get back on the Member on that.

The other one, I expect, will be completely shortly. I think we've gone out for proposals on that, but I will certainly keep the Member informed.

Masi. Oral questions. Member for Kam Lake.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. If the Minister has completed the work on the fence, it will be good of him to be able to tell me that today on the floor of the House. I understand he can't, and that's a concern for me. He knows I'm concerned about this issue. The security work that's been going on, the building that he mentioned, that money has been appropriated for that. It still hasn't been spent. We still can't find a contractor. Why? What is the hold-up? Why can't we spend this money? Why can't we get this work done? Thank you.

As mentioned previously, the problem was that, although money was allocated for the project, the bids came in at very, very high amounts and we know we couldn't proceed with those very large bids. I will advise the Member opposite or the House as to the status on both of these projects. I am, again, hoping that the improvements to the building, the interior part, will be completed shortly. As I said, we went out for bids, I believe a couple of times, and the bids came in at much too high. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. Oral questions. Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh.