David Ramsay

I am pleased to be here today to present the Department of Transportation’s proposed main estimates for the 2013-2014 fiscal year. The department is requesting a total budget of $117 million, including amortization. This represents a net decrease of $3.4 million, or 2.8 percent, from the previous budget.

The net decrease in the Department of Transportation’s budget for 2013-2014 includes an increase to amortization expenses of $3.7 million, an increase for forced growth of $2.4 million, and a number of other adjustments with a net decrease of $7.2 million mainly associated with the Deh Cho...

Mr. Speaker, the benefits are that we’re not waiting, there is access to the North Slave region 24 hours a day, seven days a week. There is convenience. It’s good for transportation companies. It will be great for university students coming back from university in May. They won’t have to face leaving their vehicles in Hay River and fly to Yellowknife and then fly back to Hay River to pick up their vehicles.

It went into the contract. There were extra costs associated with accelerating the contract in order to get the bridge open by November 30th, and if the Member wants to find exactly where...

Mr. Speaker, that horse left the barn about six years ago. There have been a number of questions that have been asked over the years. I don’t believe it does us much good to be beating a dead horse. The bridge is open. If the Member wants specifics on what exactly that $10 million was used for, that money was used to get the contract complete by November 30th so that the bridge could be put into service and that’s exactly what we did. The government was intent on getting that bridge put into service on November 30th. There was a cost to do that. That is what we did, Mr. Speaker. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I seek consent to proceed with second reading of Bill 2, An Act to Amend the Territorial Parks Act.

I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes, that Bill 2, An Act to Amend the Territorial Parks Act, be read for the second time.

This bill amends the Territorial Parks Act to provide the superintendent with authority to issue orders respecting fines in territorial parks, provide that registered owners of motor vehicles are liable for contraventions involving their vehicles, and add a power to make regulations respecting the setting, use and extinguishment of fires in parks.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes, that Bill 2, An Act to Amend the Territorial Parks Act, be read for the first time.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wish to table the following document, entitled Northwest Territories Marketing Plan 2013-2014. Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, we do have to work together. I mentioned this, again, in response to some earlier questions on the same matter. We have to continue the dialogue with industry. We have to continue the dialogue with Members. I think instead of just complaining about it, offering up solutions on what could happen, and that is going to happen by that dialogue continuing.

There are reasons that I work with the Minister of Health and Social Services, the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment. It is a much bigger issue than mines not hitting employment targets. There’s a lot of underlying issues...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The three mines were before the Member’s committee last fall. I mentioned to the Member earlier this week that I would be more than happy to set up a meeting between him and his committee, myself and the three mines. We can go over any questions the Member or his committee has. Those questions can be raised and answered by the mining companies. Thank you.

I think, working with the folks in Hay River, we could come up with a plan. I will commit to the Member today that I’ll go back to the department and discuss this option with them and, hopefully, we can formulate a plan on next steps when it comes to a dredging program for the port of Hay River.