Kevin A. Menicoche

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I just wanted to ask some questions on behalf of the Mothers Against Drunk Driving contingent in Fort Simpson. These questions are for the Minister of Transportation.

What is the department doing to tackle the high rates of impaired driving in the Northwest Territories? Thank you.

Just in terms of capital planning, I know that we review that in the fall time, so what is the time frame of continuing to press forward with the capital planning for small schools like Trout Lake? Thank you.

Mr. Chairman, that’s fine. Thank you.

Mr. Chair, this is in regards to some numbered questions here. Projected in the main estimates are liquor sales of $48.5 million, cost of goods sold, $16.9 million and last year we had $47.5 million in sales and cost of goods sold as $17 million, so what the numbers here are saying is that we are buying cheaper products or something there. We like to drink $1 million worth, so somehow we must be buying bulk sales but we are consuming the same product for almost $1 million less. Can I get an explanation on that?

Thank you very much. I just wanted to get right into the financial shared services and amalgamating people into the financial shared services. I’ve been trying to find some documentation on this from the last time the committee had an update on it. I think it was just before our election in 2011, so I don’t know if P and P have had an update on where financial shared services is going.

The original intent, of course, was the logical thing to do was when we split the Department of ITI and ENR and there were some similar functions so we just kept shared services. I’ve spoken earlier in the House...

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I certainly look forward to that research that the Minister wants to do and see what other resources are there that can assist these organizations.

I’d just like to know if the convictions for drinking and driving have increased. I think it was during the last review, I’d like to ask the Minister, has it increased? Thank you.

With our government’s efforts to reduce drunk driving, parental groups like MADD and even SADD, Students Against Drunk Driving, have we seen a decrease in the amount of drunk driving convictions and charges in the last five years? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Anti-bullying is incredibly important to us today, just as important as the initiative against drunk driving, which is my Member’s statement today.

Today I want to praise the immense contributions of a Fort Simpson resident, Ms. Sharon Allen, who is a dedicated campaigner for Mothers Against Drunk Driving, the national organization best known as MADD Canada.

Sharon has been personally affected by impaired driving. In 2008 Sharon and her husband, Kevin, lost their daughter, Keisha Trudel. Keisha was only 16 at the time. Keisha’s memory has been kept alive by...

Thank you very much. It’s kind of like a big community motion built on using the word small communities, but I am going to support it, but only because it’s a recommendation at this point. Of course, committee will be wanting to have full discussion with government on it and I will look forward to further details as we move along on this motion.

I know that’s a struggle to get all the communities community health nurses. But in the instance of Wrigley, it’s about the return of nursing services. We had them there in the early ‘90s, and the community consistently asks me, why aren’t we getting our nurse back, what’s the issue there. Well, in fact, I made great strides in getting two dedicated RCMP for the community of Wrigley and establishment of a patrol cabin, as it were, so why aren’t we doing the same or even more to deliver health in our small communities such as Wrigley? Thank you.