Kevin A. Menicoche

I know that every time we put out a request before the government, it’s going to be big expenditures, but in this case to replace and get that CKLB up and running was about $7,000. I’m not too sure about the CBC aspect of it, but those are the numbers we are talking about, if the Minister can use those figures as he talks with his colleagues and works with his department in order to come up with a plan for the community. Thank you.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I just wanted to follow up on my colleague Mr. Nadli’s initiative about establishing a community radio initiative, but I want to focus more on Nahanni Butte. I just completed my spring visit there and the community still remains without a radio, either CKLB or CBC.

I’d like to ask the Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs how he can assist this community. The radios have ceased working as a result of the flood last year and the anniversary of that flood is June 3rd. It’s been a full year and I’d like to know how the government will be helping the...

I believe that’s the thing, is that there will be a lot of dust. I don’t know if the approaches, like bridges, et cetera, there’s an increased likelihood of accidents there, but I’d surely like to see if perhaps the Minister can meet with industry with the most up-to-date plans and look at possibly some dust control on the entire length of it. I know that that dust is really fine and hangs in the air, and it hangs over that highway system and it really must be addressed. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Earlier today I made a Member’s statement on one of my favourite topics: Highway No. 7. I’d like to ask the Minister of Transportation about some of the maintenance plans for this summer. I indicated there was a failure at culvert 221, but that’s, I believe once again, because of the age of the highway. I would like to say that the DOT and the contractors – I think it was Rowe’s Construction – have to be commended for acting quickly in the repair of that bridge, but it did reduce the road restrictions.

However, more importantly, my question is about dust control this...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Minister of Transportation spoke today of a new road. I want to raise my issue of my own road, Highway No. 7. I asked Members to keep their hands on the steering wheels and eyes on the road. We need to focus our resources on Highway No. 7. This well used, unreliable transportation corridor failed again, mostly simply, with a common washout at kilometre 221.

These road failures are common and a huge inconvenience to business, industry and the general public. Even people who are not travelling suffer from the delays in the delivery of goods and services due to the road...

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Just quickly, can the Minister’s office forward to my office the dust control program for Highway No. 7? Thank you.

I’m really pleased about the dust control program for the sections and I encourage him to complete them, but there is that 32 kilometres from the BC border right to Fort Liard. I really believe that if the influx of trucking is up to that many as the Minister indicated, 700, we really should consider, and hopefully our winter road program industry is able to assist, I believe that 32 kilometres should have calcium applied to it to manage the dust for the safe travelling, because the residents of Fort Liard utilize that section going to Fort Nelson quite often and almost on a daily basis.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to give a special welcome in the Legislature to my partner Lucyanne Kendo and her daughter Brittany Jewel Kendo. I’m proud to have you by my side and that you get the chance to see me here live. As well, a very big welcome to my daughter Diedra Villeneuve and her partner’s mother Donna Huntis, who is in the gallery as well. Last, but not least, a congratulations to Mr. Andy Norwegian on the Education Hall of Fame Award today. Mahsi cho.

It hardly seems professional to have a medevac system such as this where it’s almost like a roll of the dice. If you put in your call and then say when they get there, that that’s the response time, that’s not enough for our people that want a safe and reliable medevac system and the comfort to believe in our health care system.

So, once again, maybe I can ask specifically: Is there a standard or what standard are we using to ensure that all residents of the Northwest Territories are taken care of when we’re using our medevac system? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This is a follow-up on my Member’s statement about the tragedy and non-response about our medevac plane into Trout Lake. I would like to ask a question to the Minister of Health and Social Services.

I would assume that there are targets for response times for medevac flights to each community. What is or would be the emergency response time target for the community of Trout Lake? Thank you.