Michael McLeod

Mr. Speaker, yes, they are.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the responsibility for dust control in the communities lies with the community governments. The community government formula includes responsibility for that portion. We have in the last while included in our business planning some work to do an analysis of what type of materials would be best used in terms of application for dust suppressant and I’m pleased to announce that we have an increase in our budget of $156,000 for this coming year. We are also continuing to work on our Main Street Chipsealing Program. There’s been eight communities involved in...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions today are for the Minister of Education, Charles Dent. I would like to ask about the status of the student residence supposedly being built in Inuvik. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It is with great pleasure and pride that I rise today to recognize students from my home community of Fort Providence who are graduating from the Aurora College this year. Last month we had three students who celebrated their graduation from the Thebacha Campus in Fort Smith: Alana Krutko, Arlene Canadien, and Joyce Villeneuve. This month the students studying at the Nahecho Keh Learning Centre in the community are celebrating their graduation. I am very pleased that there are far too many of them to name here today. Forty-two students will be graduating from...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thanks to the Minister for that. The Public Utilities Act states that the board has the authority to rescind a decision and they may rehear a matter before deciding it. In this case, it’s hearing the matter for the first time. Where does that come from? Does the Minister have the authority to rescind a decision and then hold a hearing? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions today are for Minister McLeod, Minister of the Public Utilities Board. I would like to know from the Minister if the board is required to hold a hearing before making a decision on applications. They had a fuel rider and a pension rider and, as far as I know, there were no hearings conducted on either of those and they were both approved. Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, I am not sure what the Member means when he asks when the maintenance schedule will kick in. We have a maintenance schedule that operates year round. We have a maintenance schedule that we are operating under right now. We are providing extra attention to some of the areas that are causing us some concern. However, we have our crews out there working as many hours as we can provide and we will continue to do so.

Mr. Speaker, the issue of dust control has always been the responsibility of the community government. It has been built into the community government operational funds; it’s something that’s allocated on an annual basis. The community decides their budgets. If the community decides not to spend it on dust control, that’s their decision. We have recently moved into transferring the dollars to the communities in different areas so that the communities can make their own decisions. There is more money flowing now for communities to work with on what their challenges are than there ever has...

Mr. Speaker, the study was done for the use of the communities and there is some new monies included in this year’s budget to do additional work in terms of studying what would be the appropriate dust suppression to use. However, to the actual cost of what the community may decide to move forward on, whether it’s chipsealing of the whole community or calcium, that would be the community’s responsibility, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The original tender, I believe, closed in February. Now we hear that the new RFP is going out at the end of the month. I would like to ask the Minister, what was the delay from February until now? We are looking at three or four months before they redid it and put it out. So I would like to ask the Minister what was the delay. Thank you.