Frederick Blake Jr.

I’d like to ask the Minister, how long would it take Public Works and Services to provide fuel and gasoline to Aklavik? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In follow-up to my Member’s statement, I have questions for the Minister of Public Works and Services.

The Department of Public Works and Services has a mandate to provide expert support and innovative leadership in community fuel provision.

How will the department help Aklavik to address their urgent concerns about the price of gasoline and heating fuel?

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Just a couple of comments, questions as well. As you know, both Tsiigehtchic and Fort McPherson have a fairly new school in each community, but our school in Tsiigehtchic is fairly small for providing nine grades with the new junior kindergarten that’s coming into effect here. We only have four classrooms in our school, and trying to control that many children in different grades, some teachers have to deal with students, like three grades. They’ve got one grade, you know, my hats off to those teachers trying to control the environment. Something needs to be done in the...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Just a few comments on the capital, starting with education here. The Moose Kerr School is not going to be on the plans here until 2019, but just from what’s happened here with our capital process with Moose Kerr School, it is up for major retrofit or replacement, and that’s the same case we had here with the Stanton Territorial Hospital. I hope in 2019 that we follow the same practice as we did and replace Moose Kerr School when the time comes. I’m sure we’ll see the cost savings there.

Also under health, the health centre in Tsiigehtchic was built in the mid-‘80s. It...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Will the Minister meet the leaders in Aklavik to find a solution to this crisis? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The petroleum products division manages fuel supplies for communities that aren’t served by the private sector.

When will the department step in to help a new community, one like Aklavik where residents are experiencing severe rate shock?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I need to raise the urgent concerns of the community of Aklavik. Gasoline and heating fuel prices are putting extreme pressures on my constituents. There are also potential power rate increases. Prices have increased by 35 percent. That means gas that cost $1.60 per litre in August now costs $1.90 per litre today, just one month later.

The people of Aklavik had no warning that this was going to happen. When Beaufort-Delta Petroleum took over fuel delivery, the company did not meet with the hamlet council. They didn’t let their clients know of a rate change in advance and...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have been receiving many concerns on the ferry services in my riding on the ferry landings to the Peel River, which are very soft from weeks of rain and high waters. Earlier this summer a fuel tanker had a puncture in its tank and thousands of litres spilled into the Peel River. This was due to the landings, soft landings, the gravel there, because of the high water and rain we’ve been receiving. For about three weeks solid we’ve had rain every day.

My constituents would like this government to construct something, whether it’s solid landings made of concrete, rig mats...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It seems that the captain makes up his own mind in many cases, because many times he picks up someone and leaves right away.

Will the Minister ensure that we have the same practice as we did in the past, which is whenever we had a full load they’d go to the other side? It was on demand in the past and many of my constituents would like that to be in place once again. Thank you.

Will the Minister change the hours of operation on the Mackenzie River from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. back to 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 a.m., which would be the same as the Peel River ferry hours?