David Ramsay

Thank you. At the FPT table, it’s more high level. Certainly at the officials’ level, discussion is continuing on regulations and how we can best serve the people of the Northwest Territories and companies that are doing business here in the NWT.

Getting back to the issue of licence plates on the front of vehicles on commercial vehicles over 4,500 kilograms, it has always been the practice and the law here in the Northwest Territories that plates be in the front so that officers don’t have to go underneath the trailer to see what the plate is. That’s always been the practice and we did take a...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have a few people in the gallery I would like to recognize today. Earlier today we had a press conference releasing the Economic Opportunities Strategy. With us today in the gallery we have Kathy Gray, the president of the NWT Chamber of Commerce; Mr. Kevin Lewis, the regional director with CanNor; and also a former mayor of Yellowknife, Gord Van Tighem, a member of the advisory panel. Welcome, folks.

Also with them is Ms. Kelly Kaylo, the assistant deputy minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment. I also want to recognize my colleague over in the Yukon Territory...

Mr. Speaker, I wish to table the following document, entitled Northwest Territories Economic Opportunities Strategy. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you. We have five tridem drive tractor units that have been registered to three companies in the NWT; one in Inuvik, one out of Edmonton and also one out of the Member’s constituency in Hay River. They have submitted reports to the Department of Transportation.

Again, this is being done on a two-year trial basis to see what impact these heavier loads potentially will have on our infrastructure, our road infrastructure, especially on the chipseal portions of our highways. We’ll be glad to share the findings of these reports with the Member and other Members if they’d like to see the...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I want to thank the Member for bringing the concerns to the House. Last year and again earlier this year, we were looking at harmonizing our regulations with other jurisdictions, especially in Western Canada. The Member had brought up the issue of tri-drive vehicles. We’ve got a two-year pilot project that’s underway, including a company from Hay River that’s taking part in that exercise. We also are looking at the Class 3 driver’s licence and allowing people with a Class 5 licence to tow or drive a commercial vehicle that’s towing a trailer up to 4,500 kilograms. So we...

Mr. Speaker, shortly after taking office, as we considered the economic opportunities, realities and challenges that lay ahead for our territory, the 17th Assembly highlighted the need for a comprehensive strategy to guide our economy though this time of unprecedented political and economic change. Today I am pleased to inform Members that the Governance Committee has completed an Economic Opportunities Strategy for the NWT, which I will be tabling later today.

The settlement of land claims, self-government agreements, and especially the pending devolution of governance responsibilities for...

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. It’s a total of $595,000 and some of the work is going to be carried over. What we can do is commit to the Members there are a number of projects, Inuvik to Tuk highway test section, winter road vulnerability assessment, remote weather information system that we’re putting in, sensors and equipment and permafrost, a short course that was run. We would endeavour to get a report of those activities to the Members when they’re concluded, and again, they’re not all concluded, as you see the carry-over for $189,000.

Thank you. The discussions have already begun between ECE and DOT. We will continue to have discussions. In the past these programs ended because of concerns with liability and also logistical concerns.

I think these are things we can get over and we should get over. If there’s a real need in a community like Norman Wells or Inuvik or other communities around the NWT, this is something that we have to get our heads around. Certainly, we can continue the discussions and I will do that through the Minister and the education board both in the Beaufort-Delta and in the Sahtu. We’ll continue and see...

Mr. Speaker, high school students in Yellowknife and Hay River can still receive two credits toward their high school diploma by taking professional driver training, but that is only available in Yellowknife and Hay River. That, again, is part of the reason we’re looking at Project Gearshift, to get the professional driver instruction outside of those two communities and to young people across the Territories so they can get drivers’ licences. We’re also developing flashcards and an app that is based on the NWT Drivers Manual. I believe in responding to Mr. Dolynny last week, these will be...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I give notice that on Wednesday, October 30, 2013, I will move that Bill 27, An Act to Amend the Revolving Funds Act, be read for the first time.