Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I appreciate that.
Mr. Speaker, today I want to first begin by quoting the Minister of Infrastructure's statement. It was certainly timely with respect to my Member's statement. It says, capital projects encompass new opportunities to build, protect, and connect the North for the benefit of Northerners, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, it gave me quick pause because I thought about the Arctic Economic Security Corridor and how important that that's going to be, so I couldn't agree with that statement more. Now, what's interesting here is the Tlicho and the YKFDN have a joint partnership which I certainly support and believe in the empowerment of Indigenous governments and certainly people finding their way economically, socially, and building their communities stronger, Mr. Speaker. But as I understand, they're examining the routes from Whati to Gameti and then on to Wekweeti, the intent is to do a straight shot to the straight north which means, Mr. Speaker, believe it or not, from what I am told the third path of the Arctic Economic Security Corridor will go past Yellowknife and not even stop by.
Mr. Speaker, that's in clear contradiction of the Minister's statement about tying communities together.
Mr. Speaker, we must find ways to build and support all communities and strengthen our infrastructure in a way to strengthen resilience of all Northerners, Mr. Speaker.
Yellowknife is the largest economy in the Northwest Territories and essentially what this statement, from what I am told, is it's creating a bypass past the capital and that cannot be the case, Mr. Speaker. This is absolutely, deeply concerning. Mr. Speaker, any discussion about this particular rigours of this project must include, in some ways, if they want to make a ring road to tie it back to Yellowknife, I think then we achieve the same goals.
If you want to ask me, is it important to connect Whati to Gameti? I will say absolutely. Mr. Speaker, if you want me to believe -- ask me if I believe in connecting to Wekweeti to the roads or infrastructure, absolutely. But Mr. Speaker, from what I am told this process is essentially just like the Mackenzie Valley Highway, going from Fort Simpson to Wrigley, ignoring Norman Wells, and going straight to Inuvik. Could you imagine that particular case?
Mr. Speaker, I can't stand for this, and I want to make sure when I ask questions to the Minister of Infrastructure, to make sure that Yellowknife doesn't become a bypass road that is completely ignored. Mr. Speaker, again, Yellowknife is a key partner in this. Yellowknife MLAs support the Tlicho people and the YKDFN asserting their abilities to grow their economy and support their people, and I will do that every way I can, but it cannot come at a cost of Yellowknife and the infrastructure here. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.