Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In my discussions with the department, I’ve been told that this machine was used at the Mackenzie crossing, in terms of experimental project, and that it was used only the one time. However, if he needs the specific dates and times, I certainly will go into sending that over to the Member for him for his review.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I’ll have to work closely with the Member from Nunakput in terms of the types of cheques that he’s referring to and requires other Ministers to be involved or requires the federal government departments to be involved in this issue here. So I would ask if the Member could be more specific in terms of what type of cheques so that I could have some direction.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, even though we did haul the machine to the area the Member is referring to, it is going to sit there. It is not in the budget. It has been reduced in terms of our transportation. We are looking at ways we could bring the machine in and possibly use it in the future. However, again, we are going through the process of planning priorities. We will see if this is something that is really needed. I will continue working with the Members in terms of making this machine available to the people of the Delta area.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the Mackenzie ice bridge crossing machinery I think the Member is referring to is right now at what I have been told is the location that the department feels is the only location that it can be stored at. I did check into it and asked about other areas that it can be stored in. It is not being used right now. That is where it can be stored in terms of safety and security reasons.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, this issue has come up in my discussions with the Member from Nunakput. Certainly, our department is making arrangements to see how best we can serve the community of Paulatuk in terms of this specific issue on the issuing of driver’s licences.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I want to, first of all, congratulate the people of the aboriginal corporations in Fort Providence, the Metis, the band, the hamlet, the people in Fort Providence and the people of the Deh Cho, the Deh Cho Corporation also, and the GNWT department staff in terms of making an historical agreement that would see a project like this be very successful in the Northwest Territories. Once we have done our work in terms of working it out with the Deh Cho Bridge Corporation in terms of some of the 12 outstanding issues, we would certainly be happy to share that...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, there are marine positions in Fort Simpson right now, and Inuvik. I’d like to state clearly to this House here that when we have these type of requests, that we’ll certainly look very closely with our department in terms of what makes good business sense in terms of having positions being moved to other regions in terms of serving the interests of people in the North. Again, to state clearly also that, Mr. Speaker, there are some regions right now in our department that are serving other regions without any type of presence in the North here.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I’ve been told that the former position of marine, head of marine operation in Fort Simpson had served two functions. He was also the director and also the superintendent at that time. Since today, my understanding is that the position has been moved to Hay River because 90 percent of our marine operations are out of the hub of the waterway transportation in the North and that there’s an assistant director of marine operations in Fort Simpson. Unless I’ve been briefed on this, I haven’t seen any indication as to when this position of director of marine...

Thank you for the specific decisions there. Mr. Speaker, I would get that to the Member. It’s my understanding that he knows that I’ve also come from areas that have this kind of concern and that’s certainly something that I’d be happy to talk with the Member about. This certainly does raise some questions; however, I will provide that information to the Member when I can get it from the department.

Mr. Speaker, it is with great pleasure that I rise in the House today to inform Members that next week, December 1st to 7th, is National Safe Driving Week across Canada. The first week of December is designated annually as a time to recognize and acknowledge the need to drive safely over the coming holiday season and throughout the entire year. It is also a time to reflect on the progress we have made on improving driver safety here in the Northwest Territories.

The Government of the Northwest Territories has accomplished much to improve the safety of the travelling public. These included...