Statement made on 22 June 2011 by Senator Nick Sibbeston
Hon. Nick G. Sibbeston:
Honourable senators, my question relates to highways in the Northwest Territories. The government in the recent budget identified $150 million for the highway from Inuvik to Tuktoyaktuk. This will complete the Dempster Highway, which goes from the Yukon to the Northwest Territories and then to the Arctic Ocean. People in the delta area are very happy about the government's decision about the highway.
There is another area in the North, the Sahtu area. This is the Great Bear area, the middle of the North. If the Mackenzie Highway, which has been started but has not been completed, were completed, people in the North would be very happy. Some work has already been done on the highway. There has been mapping and some of the bridges have been built. People anticipate that some day the highway will be completed.
I believe the Leader of the Government in the Senate knows Cece McCauley, a former chief from Inuvik who lives in Norman Wells. Cece McCauley has been working tirelessly to have the highway built. She feels that the Sahtu are missing out on many economic opportunities. She feels the price of food and goods are too high because of the lack of a highway. After making the determination that the male leaders in the area were not doing enough, she spearheaded and organized the Women Warriors of Sahtu, a group of women that has taken it upon themselves to get the highway built. They have even made dolls and are selling them to provide money for their activities. They have come to Ottawa to meet with ministers in the past but, thus far, to no avail.
Honourable senators, I ask that the government leader raise the issue of this good project for the North with the Prime Minister and the Minister of Indian Affairs. This project will strengthen Canadian sovereignty, realize a great deal of economic benefit and open up a resource rich area. If this government would consider completing the Mackenzie Highway from Wrigley to Inuvik, that would be very good. This would endear the government to the people of the North in a very real way.
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