Northwest Territories MP Michael McLeod said he was pleased overall with the .
SA国际影视传媒淚 think it was a good budget for us,SA国际影视传媒� McLeod told Yellowknifer on Wednesday.
SA国际影视传媒淚 was quite impressed that the budget had a section dedicated to the North.SA国际影视传媒�
The budget promises a range of investments in Canada's North over the next several years including infrastructure projects, broadband internet connections, education and economic development.
SA国际影视传媒淚tSA国际影视传媒檚 covered a lot of ground and I was quite happy to see some of my fingerprints on investments that came forward,SA国际影视传媒� said McLeod.
One of the major infrastructure investments is $18 million to Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada (CIRNAC) over the next three years to support planning for the GNWT's proposed Taltson hydroelectricity expansion project.
McLeod wouldn't say if future federal investment would be needed beyond the planning phase of the project.
SA国际影视传媒淚f all goes well and things are positive, then weSA国际影视传媒檝e got to look at next steps,SA国际影视传媒� he said.
McLeod said he was SA国际影视传媒渜uite excitedSA国际影视传媒� about $400 million SA国际影视传媒� over the next eight years starting in 2020 SA国际影视传媒� going to the National Trade Corridors fund to Arctic and Northern regions, which the federal government says will help connect Northern communities.
SA国际影视传媒淓ven though we got $400 million additional to top it up to a total of $800 million, it still falls short of where weSA国际影视传媒檙e going to need to be if weSA国际影视传媒檙e going to do all the transportation infrastructure in the North,SA国际影视传媒� said McLeod.
SA国际影视传媒淲e have a huge deficit on that front.SA国际影视传媒�
The infrastructure needs of the North are very different from those of southern provinces, and McLeod said he spends a lot of time making sure federal ministers understand that.
SA国际影视传媒淚tSA国际影视传媒檚 always a challenge for myself as the member of parliament to make sure that everybody understands that the North is a very important part of Canada that canSA国际影视传媒檛 be overlooked,SA国际影视传媒� he said.
SA国际影视传媒淚 spend a lot of time talking to staff and making sure they understand where we are in terms of growing our economy, in terms of having infrastructure that will lower our costs for our residents but also for industry.SA国际影视传媒�
To those worrying about the federal Liberals' $19.8 billion deficit, McLeod said to consider the alternative.
SA国际影视传媒淚 would ask everybody thatSA国际影视传媒檚 talking about the numbers to consider where the NWT would be if the conservative government got in and toed the line at not investing,SA国际影视传媒� he said.
SA国际影视传媒淲e would really have a troubled economy.SA国际影视传媒�
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