Norman Yakeleya

I recognize the two pages from the Sahtu, Miss Emily Collier and Mr. Luc Erb from Norman Wells.

The problem is in the silt down the Mackenzie Valley into the different roads and our airports. We have noticed through our assessments that the Liard Highway needs some serious work done. It has been known for years. We want to do a proper job. We are going to commit millions into the Liard Highway to fix the road, Mr. Speaker. Right across the Northwest Territories, in terms of value on our investments.... I look forward to when we can get up there to talk about our Main Estimates and let the people know in Fort Liard that this highway has been looked at very seriously by the department. I...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The springtime has the highest risk to the vulnerability of our road systems in the North. And to update the Member, as of 11 o’clock this morning, the Liard Highway is open to light traffic and closed to commercial traffic.

I appreciate the Member’s referring to the word “goat”; it’s a virtue. In our region we don’t have a highway.

However, Mr. Speaker, I would like to let the Minister know, let the people in Fort Liard and Fort Simpson know, that the department has taken a considerable amount of resources at this time of the season. We have indicated in our plans that this road desperately needs attention. Reconstruction is a high priority of our department, and we are concentrating on this section of the highway through our Main Estimates. When we get to our Main Estimates, I will show what type of investments...

Mr. Speaker, there are seven communities in the Northwest Territories that have cellphone coverage out of 34 communities, which are the larger centres. That’s 8,000 — in my estimate, from NorthwesTel — cellphone users in the Northwest Territories. We do not have this coverage all along our transportation infrastructure road system. We’re not at that level yet. So in that sense we are monitoring the situation. We certainly have to talk to these centres that do have cellphone coverage.

On the banning of smoking in vehicles with children in them, we understand that Nova Scotia and Yukon do have...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My department is always very committed to the safety of the travelling public, and I’d be happy to listen to what the people of the Northwest Territories have to say about these two issues that the Member has raised.

Mr. Speaker, the Member is correct in terms of the education process. I do apologize that I didn’t mention that the Department of Transportation has a campaign, a single-window approach, in terms of all drivers on the road: the Drive Alive campaign. This is one process that we will be sure the Members in the House and the public in the communities know. We will enhance our component of the Drive Alive safety program to let them know about the issue of any type of distraction in the vehicle and the dangers of second-hand smoke, especially when there are children in the vehicle. We’ll certainly...

Mr. Speaker, I would repeat that the department is monitoring the situation of cellphones that he raised and also the banning of smoking in vehicles while children are present in the vehicle. The department is monitoring the situation and monitoring the reviews that are happening across Canada. The department is interested in engaging in some discussions with the MLA and the public in terms of what emergent issues need to come forward in terms of continuing on and seeing what we can do with dealing with these two issues.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. [English translation not provided.]

Mr. Speaker, I am encouraged by the interest in the Arctic gateway that I've recently heard about from various leaders and my counterparts in other jurisdictions.

I am pleased to report that on April 8, 2008, at the Council of Ministers Responsible for Transportation and Highway Safety meeting in Gatineau, Quebec, the federal Transportation Minister committed his department to undertake a feasibility study on the Arctic gateway and trade corridor. This study is expected to commence later this year.

I am also pleased with the support we...

I, too, want to recognize Val Robinson, a former grade 12 student at Samuel Hearne Secondary School.