Mr. Speaker, the community I work with experienced firsthand the power outage in late January of this year, at which time there were no means of transportation in and out of the community, Mr. Speaker. The community airport does not have a backup generator. This is becoming a serious concern to the community members, Mr. Speaker. This puts the public at risk when the power goes out. No means of air transportation to and from the communities during these emergency crises. Mr. Speaker, I’d like to ask the Minister of Transportation, can the Minister explain the emergency measures or plans to deal with these power outages in isolated community airports? Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Mahsi, Mr. Lafferty. The honourable Minister responsible for Transportation, Mr. McLeod.

Return To Question 499-15(3): Emergency Power Supply For Community Airports

Michael McLeod

Deh Cho

Mr. Speaker, in the case of the communities where they don’t have emergency backup generators for their airports, we expect the communities to use the flare pots that are available. In the event that there is a power outage or an emergency, that is the process that’s in place and that is acceptable for the federal legislation in the airports act. Thank you.

Mahsi, Mr. McLeod. Supplementary, Mr. Lafferty.

Supplementary To Question 499-15(3): Emergency Power Supply For Community Airports

Jackson Lafferty

Monfwi

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I think we need to go beyond that. Emergency crises in the community need to be really seriously looked into. Where I’d like to ask the Minister, can the Minister explain why the communities of Wekweeti, Gameti, and Whati don’t have any backup generators for their airports as part of their emergency measures during these power outages? Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Mahsi, Mr. Lafferty. Mr. McLeod.

Further Return To Question 499-15(3): Emergency Power Supply For Community Airports

Michael McLeod

Deh Cho

Mr. Speaker, federal legislation doesn’t require us to have backup generators in each community. Navigation Canada moved away from providing backup generators some time ago. The acceptable process is to use flare pots, and the flare pots are available in each of the communities that the Member has referenced and that is the acceptable process. Thank you.

Mahsi, Mr. McLeod. Supplementary, Mr. Lafferty.

Supplementary To Question 499-15(3): Emergency Power Supply For Community Airports

Jackson Lafferty

Monfwi

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, it has been brought to my attention, when I was visiting communities early February, that this became a bigger issue than what the Minister is outlining here. So I’d like to ask again, the Minister can commit to this House on the emergency plans, if his department can look into, he says there’s federal legislation that we have to follow, but at the same time legislation can be amended, as well. Can the Minister commit in this House to look into emergency measures to deal with power outages in the communities that have identified to have a backup generator? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mahsi, Mr. Lafferty. Mr. McLeod.

Further Return To Question 499-15(3): Emergency Power Supply For Community Airports

Michael McLeod

Deh Cho

Mr. Speaker, each airport facility operates under federal legislation and is required to have an emergency plan. There are only four communities, I believe, that have backup generators and that’s Yellowknife, Hay River, Inuvik, and Norman Wells. In the case of the smaller communities, the flare pots are the acceptable process and fall within the legislation that we are required to follow and that’s what we use in the case of an emergency. We don’t have a plan to put in emergency generators in any of these communities. In fact, the communities that had the emergency generators, in the case of Fort Smith, these were shut down and are being removed. Thank you.

Mahsi, Mr. McLeod. Final supplementary, Mr. Lafferty.

Supplementary To Question 499-15(3): Emergency Power Supply For Community Airports

Jackson Lafferty

Monfwi

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I understand where the department is going with this, but, at the same time, I think we need to take into consideration the communities’ concerns, especially coming from the chiefs of each community. This is becoming a problem in the community. More of a challenge in the community through, during the power outage when there’s an emergency crisis really there is no means of air transportation. But he’s saying that there’s a backup. I’d like to find out, he’s saying that, the Minister is saying really there are no plans in place to deal with the federal legislation, but I’m asking the department if they’re willing to investigate further to look into the emergency backup plan where Yellowknife, Hay River, Smith or different major communities do have them. I think we need to recognize isolated communities. We are the communities, as well. I think the Minister should really look into that. Mahsi.

Mahsi, Mr. Lafferty. Mr. McLeod.

Further Return To Question 499-15(3): Emergency Power Supply For Community Airports

Michael McLeod

Deh Cho

Mr. Speaker, we are following the regulatory requirements under the Airports Act, the federal airports legislation. There is no requirement for this government to put in backup generators into the communities. We really don’t have the resources to put in backup generators in the communities, in the airports, and we don’t really have the resources to provide the maintenance and repairs this would all entail. So we don’t have the investment that’s required to do so. We have a plan that’s acceptable to the federal government and that’s the means that we are moving forward on this and providing emergency landing with flare pots. There is nothing wrong with that, Mr. Speaker.