Debates of June 1, 2006 (day 3)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, over the past 11 years I have had a chance to drive the highway between Hay River and Yellowknife many, many times. I wish I would have counted because it’s been many thousands. This past Sunday I had occasion again. After church on Sunday I got in my vehicle and drove to Yellowknife. I’ve come to this House and reported on things like bison on the road, the state of the yellow lines on the road, road conditions, ferry operations, ferry signage, and everything. But today I want to tell you about the condition of the Government of the Northwest Territories outhouses along the highway.

---Laughter

And it was bad. This is after the May long weekend. This is essentially summer. We could have tourists on the road. Now, I’m not a tourist and I don’t say this to embarrass the Minister, but surely somebody has the contract to keep these places clean and to keep them supplied, and I can tell you 100 percent there was no toilet tissue in any outhouse that had the Government of the Northwest Territories name on it. One in particular that I stopped at was Chan Lake, and I have to tell you, I went there, they all got these beautiful signs, very expensive signs that say welcome to the Government of the Northwest Territories, they got little teepee shaped signs. I mean, like, we’re advertising that they’re ours, but it’s an embarrassment.

Anyway, at Chan Lake as well there was a minivan, and I was thinking, if I was a tourist how would I feel? There was a minivan parked there at Chan Lake that had every window smashed out. It had all the rocks still lying on top of it. It had the wheels taken off and it was a really recent model of minivan. Anyway, if we’re going to have territorial parks and roadside stops and we’re going to put our name on them, let’s make sure we’ve got contractors in place to keep them supplied and keep them clean, and hopefully tow away the derelict vehicles, because I’d hate for any visitors to think that anything like that could happen to them while they’re in our wonderful Northwest Territories. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause