Michael McLeod

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Member has listed a number of projects in his riding that have been deferred or carried over. Our intention is to get them all done for this year, on top of the projects that are listed; providing that the budget is approved, of course. We’ve had a lot of work going on in the area of Nahendeh, I think to the tune of almost $30 million worth of projects. We had a few projects that weren’t able to move forward as a result of weather and other issues, but we fully intend to have those done this coming year.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The temporary measures put in place by our government until such time as the Wekeezhii board puts a long-term plan in place has raised a lot of discussion across the Territories, in my communities and with the residents that I represent, because we also harvest from this herd. Most of the communities in my riding, the chief and others, will make an organized hunt and come and harvest from this herd in the Tlicho area, as I did along with other friends for many years. Of course, it is a shock. I mean, it’s a shock that I think some of us have recognized for some time...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to welcome everybody in the audience here for today. I’d like to recognize some people from my community. First of all, the grand chief of Deh Cho, Sam Gargan, former Speaker and MLA. Welcome. Also Victor Constant from Fort Providence is here with us. Welcome, Victor.

Like I said, we will do the research and see if it is feasible to enact this particular type of legislation. We have to understand that there is going to be a cost factor to this and do we have the money for that right now with all the other demands on the budget. I have committed to the Member that we will do some research and see if this is a particular piece of legislation is being called for in the Northwest Territories.

The Member knows full well that we’re always open for advice. The Member seconded a motion in this House that got defeated on this very issue. He knows the challenges that cell phone and distracted driving legislation has, that it needs a lot of attention and a lot of work. We have to have all our facts straight. We need to consult with our colleagues across the floor. We are going to be writing to standing committee to request some time to do so. That’s our plan right now.

Mr. Speaker, I don’t have to point out to the Member that enforcement and penalties are just one portion of what it would take to deal with the issue of distracted driving education. It has to be part of that process. We have started doing the communications. We are talking to the communities. We are talking to the City of Yellowknife. I know he’s very much in a hurry and is a very impatient person, but there are certain steps that we have to take. I will remind the Member again, in case he wasn’t here for the vote, but we did vote in this House and the vote to bring in legislation on cell...

Mr. Speaker, unlike the Member, I would like to bring information forward when I am totally prepared. We did have a vote in this House. I don’t want to bring a piece of legislation forward to the Members of this House and have it defeated. I think there is a lot of work that has to be done. The Members have to see some of the drafts of the legislation that we would be proposing. That is what we are working on right now. We are still consulting. We’ve heard how serious the issue of consulting with residents of the Northwest Territories is. We plan to do the work necessary. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the Member is starting to sound like a broken record. Every time he doesn’t get his way, he’s starting to say the Minister doesn’t care, the Minister doesn’t care. That’s a very strong statement to make, given that I take very seriously what the Members raise in this House and outside of this House and what the residents of the North bring forward.

I also have to say where was he when I did make the response on what we were doing with cell phones. Either he doesn’t know what I made in my statement, or he doesn’t care to know what I made in my statement, or...

Mr. Speaker, obviously the Member is not listening. I said on two occasions now that it deeply concerns me. I mean that. It is an issue that is outside of my responsibility. We feel that there are other ways to create deterrents if the current fine system is not adequate to do what he is requesting. We don’t feel that including the lost demerit points is going to do what he is expecting. Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, I’m being very careful, not because I don’t see a need to increase and add to the deterrents that are in place already. I would think the fine of $250 is pretty significant for anybody to be considering parking in one of those stalls. However, this is a responsibility that falls under another department. The Member is asking what I would do for an area that I am not responsible for.

Mr. Speaker, we certainly can commit to having that discussion with the Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs and the City of Yellowknife, if need be, to see what else we can do. At this point, we...