Kevin A. Menicoche

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions today are for the Hon. Norman Yakeleya, Minister of Transportation.

I hear with great interest that Highway No. 7 is still having its share of problems. That’s the section between Fort Simpson and Fort Liard. The conditions are still muddy, and the road is closed once again. This is really, really causing a lot of grief to constituents, especially those in Fort Liard. I know that the Minister committed to reconstruction and fixing of the drainage surface and great improvement. I’d just like to know what has been done in the planning stages so far, because I...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d just like to reiterate one more time the frustration of the travelling public and the people of my communities at having the road closed.

Once again, can the Minister tell me when he can start building the road? I think we can still move gravel, even if the conditions are rainy, up to the muddy sections there. Thank you.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to ask the Minister to reach out and grab all the resources he has, put them together and then build our road.

Mr. Speaker, I’d like to know how much work has been done to date. It’s apparent to constituents that it looks like nothing is being done, but I’d like to know: have tenders been provided? Who is going to do the work? When, at the bare minimum, can they build a bypass road past these muddy sections that are causing the most interruption?

I’ll ask it a different way. The Minister Responsible for the NWT Power Corporation has been instructed by this side of the House, by several motions, to look at moving toward a one-rate zone or levelized rate zone. I’d like to ask: what work has been done to work toward this, to develop a proposal, to look at the different ways of providing that type of service?

Mahsi cho, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to ask the Minister Responsible for the NWT Power Corporation with reference to my Member’s statement. We’re struggling with electrical costs all through the Northwest Territories. In my Member’s statement I referenced that three of our larger non-hydro communities are looking for some alternative ways of providing power at a cheaper rate. In fact, I believe all communities should have the right and access to cheaper power rates through a one-rate power zone. I’d like to know how much work the ministry’s office has done in light of the many motions we have...

That’s exactly the point. We are looking toward how we are going to implement a one-rate or levelized zone. It doesn’t mean the government has to do it, but the government should take a good, serious, hard look at it. I believe you do that by developing proposals and bird’s-eye view outlines of it. I’d like to know when this government will start that.

Once again I’d like to reiterate to the Minister that it’s a cry from our whole territory, as well as a request from this side of the House, that the ministry and the government look at a one-rate system or a levelized rate system. I’ll just ask again: what kind of work will this government be doing to work toward that?

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Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We all know the Northwest Territories has some of the highest energy costs in the country, and these high costs have a big impact on our cost of living. Community government leaders are struggling with these escalating costs, and there does not appear to be any relief in sight.

At the recent NWT Association of Communities annual general meeting in Fort Simpson, community government representatives passed two resolutions that raised concerns about the cost of electrical power and the management of the Northwest Territories Power...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions are for the Minister of Transportation with regard to the recent ongoing trials and tribulations of the mud areas of Highway No. 7. The road has closed again just recently, and I’d like to know the status of it.

I think I’ll just speak to the medical emergencies in the smaller communities, as well as the need to develop a policy. I’d just like to know what current plan or what strategy the Minister’s office is going to develop with regard to developing a policy.