Kevin A. Menicoche

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Just with respect to the issue the Member brings forward, the access roads that run off our highway systems, including the one he's talking about on Highway No. 3, are considered now private access roads and the department does not specifically maintain access roads off the highway system. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I will be glad to sit down with the Member and the leadership to discuss ways in which we could best address this issue. Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker…(English not provided)

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Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to announce that the Department of Transportation is issuing revised versions of three NWT driver manuals and is introducing the new Motorcycle Handbook.

The previous versions were close to 20 years old and out of date. The revised manuals are now consistent with other territorial and provincial jurisdictions and contain the latest driver information and techniques to ensure that drivers are able to safely operate all types of road vehicles in the NWT.

The four manuals provided by the Department of Transportation to NWT...

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The new initiatives for the ice bridge track vehicle, I'm going to have to double check on this. I believe it is a replacement of an existing old piece of equipment that's there, and then two new ice spray pumps. The request here is to have new equipment as well as the ice spray pumps is going to help us speed up the ice bridge, to have it operating earlier and getting the equipment out there sooner and, of course, thickening the ice. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have just been advised that a highway tax was severely defeated a term ago. I don’t think we want to go there. I think the Member’s intention is good in bringing forward that suggestion of creating the tolls and phase it in right now but, legislatively, we are just in no position to do that, Mr. Speaker. Thank you.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I think, if I understand the question correctly, the Member’s after can we realize some savings and create a fund to pay for the bridge. Fifty percent of the costs that we’re talking about for operating a new bridge is already being spent right now as we operate our ferry and ice bridge there, Mr. Speaker. With respect to the $6 per ton for a truck, that is a new figure that we have been using. That is something that the way it is right now in the financial model, is to become effective the day the bridge starts operating. There is an inflationary factor....

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In many of the jurisdictions across Canada, that is what in effect they do for reconstruction, rebuilding the highways, their bridges. They do slow the traffic down and provide tolls. They then recover some costs for those repairs because it is the travelling public that use it. But here in the North, our traffic volume just cannot sustain something like that, especially the smaller vehicles. Once again, we have to introduce new legislation to collect tolls. If that is something the Member wants to put forward and that is something the public wants, they are going...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Well, the Member has a good question and the way that the Deh Cho Bridge Act is set up, it has nothing to do with our current operations. If the Member is looking at a government implementing a toll on our existing ferry systems, we will have to look at different legislation to do that, Mr. Speaker. The decision was made many years ago when we created our ferry system, is for easy, free access for the North and all northerners. Mahsi cho.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. There have been some maintenance issues that have to be addressed on the ferry that is currently ongoing. We are proceeding as expeditiously as we can to get the ferry ready for this shipping season. I just might want to add that, even with the ferry running on Monday, that is well ahead of schedule. Every effort is being made to put the ferry in early. I can’t make any commitments on that other than the expected date is still Monday. We are aware of the new pressing situation, the lack of aviation fuel and the safe transportation of our people of the North and we...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The department is closely monitoring the situation. As I indicated yesterday, we are not responsible for supply and monitoring the supply of aviation fuel. However, once again, because of our road shutting down early, it is becoming an imminent situation that we are going to have to monitor. I am not too sure who is doing the rationing. It is not a government initiative. I am sure it is the suppliers trying to watch out for all of their customers that are out there. Once again, Mr. Speaker, the positive light on this is that the ferry is going to be coming in on...