Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Minister started to ask my last question, which is simply and ultimately the obvious question, which is when can we see something? I think that is an important factor for the public trying to follow this issue, because there are a lot of people in the public who would like to see this go forward. I think the timing couldn’t be better, especially on the sad news that another university is no longer in existence. We could fill that gap.
Mr. Speaker, does the Minister of Education have anything he can offer and share to Members, be its vision, be it timelines and certainly in the area of public engagement on this particular issue? Does the Minister have anything he can provide us to show this initiative is certainly moving forward and that demonstrates that the federal government is interested in this concept? I know I am very interested. I know other Members are very interested and it is very important. Thank you.
I would just like to recognize the clock. Time for questions has expired, but I will allow the Minister to answer the question.
Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. I will be more than happy to present the current status of what has been happening to the standing committee. They can certainly share with the general public as well. We can certainly do that, too, and put it on our website. Just updating on where we have been, Mr. Speaker, this is all preliminary at this point. I am not sure how far we will be, but certainly what we have talked about is still in the preliminary stages. We need to develop a business case scenario between the three jurisdictional territorial governments. We will be meeting with the federal Minister as we move into the summer months. That is the plan as it is now. Mr. Speaker, yes, I will be more than happy to present to the standing committee. Mahsi.
Item 8, written questions. Mr. Hawkins.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to return to item 7, oral questions, on our orders of the day. Thank you.
---Unanimous consent granted
Mr. Hawkins.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you, colleagues, for allowing this to continue. Mr. Speaker, I would like to weigh in on this driver’s licence plate issue quickly, especially because it is such an important topic and it has been raised today in various perspectives.
Mr. Speaker, a number of my constituents are concerned about the $10 fee. To the Minister that may not be a big deal, but as I understand it, there are 18,000 passenger vehicles on the road today and that is just the passenger vehicles, mind you. Of course, people are now forced to pay the $10 fee. It shouldn’t be described as anything else because the option is either have your vehicle on the road or not have your vehicle on the road, so I think people made substantial investments. This can’t be really seen as anything but a cash grab.
I am just trying to understand. If I can compare playground investment in camp parks, we don’t raise camp fees. When we are forced to upgrade our health care cards recently to a modern one, we weren’t charged a fee there, and finally airport improvements, when we do those, we are not charged extra fees when we put an airport in. Why did the Minister feel that it was necessary to charge an additional fee of $10 regardless of how small it may appear to be? Why did the Minister feel that it is an important direction to start charging those types of fees when what truly is the responsibility of the government and we are already paying for it in our road licence fee that we do update every year? Thank you.
The honourable Minister of Transportation, Mr. Michael McLeod.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Member is always encouraging us to level down the jurisdictions and try to stay on par with what they do. The Auditor General has also indicated that our fees are too low, especially in the area of airport development and parking fees and things of that nature. We are also encouraged by our government to recover any new costs. The cost of $10 is what it cost to produce the new licence plate.
It’s probably by far lower than most jurisdictions. Other jurisdictions are charging quite a bit more, even for the personalized licence plates. Some jurisdictions are charging up to $50. Our fees are intended to recoup what it costs to produce the plates and we needed to change the plates to meet national standards in safety areas and reasons of that nature. So that’s what we’re doing.
Thank you. New Brunswick updated their plates and gave people the option if you wanted a new style plate you could pay the fee and take the new plate.
Mr. Speaker, a couple of years ago the government wisely listened to the ideas that came from this side of the House about upgrading drivers’ licences and they didn’t pass on an additional fee when they modernized the territorial driver’s licence. Mr. Speaker, this can’t be viewed as any more than nickeling and diming the average northern resident when the cost of living continues to be an issue.
Finally, if they needed the money and felt that the $80 fee was not substantial enough to cover the normal costs of registering your vehicle, why wasn’t that publicly debated and explained why the whole fee is inappropriate and they’re just going to add on a $10 extra fee to cover the licence plates? So, Mr. Speaker, I think the real question is, is the fee the problem, the whole registration fee, and why isn’t that fairly publicly debated by our Finance Minister who would bring it forward in the next type of budget? Why wasn’t it addressed as a package as opposed to let’s nickel and dime people one at a time? Thank you.
The Member raises the fee that New Brunswick is charging. They’re charging $25. If you want us to stay on par, I guess we could consider that, but at this point we’re looking at recouping what it costs to produce the licence plate. That is our requirement that has been put in place by our government. The Auditor General has raised concern about our department not meeting and matching other jurisdictions. So we are required to do a number of things and that is to ensure that we recoup the costs of this new plate.
In any event, whether we kept the old plate and had a supplier reproduce them, which we could find we would have had to incorporate a new fee. So I think it’s a fair fee. Ten dollars is not a lot for a licence plate that could last up to 12, 13, 14 years and I think we’re getting value for money. Thank you.
Thank you. Very respectfully, but yesterday we heard the Health Minister talk about Ontario and Alberta and whatnot. Today we hear about the Transportation Minister leaning on what New Brunswick and B.C. do. It’s odd how we seem to want to govern by other provinces and what they do, because, I mean, if Quebec decided to drive over the cliff, would our government start lining up behind them?
Excuse me, Mr. Hawkins, could you please ask your supplementary question and keep it short?
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The issue really comes down to this: just because they do it, why does it mean we have to do it? I believe this is a capital cost within our system that rightly belongs on the Department of Transportation’s normal capital budget. Why didn’t the Minister take it from that point of view? Thank you.
Thank you. If Quebec drives over the cliff I would encourage the Member not to follow them. Mr. Speaker, the Member raises examples from other jurisdictions then wants to bow out when I retaliate and show him that he is wrong in his answers. Mr. Speaker, the reality is we’re doing as well or better than other jurisdictions and we should recognize that.
Final supplementary, Mr. Hawkins.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The last question about the licence plate issue is quite an obvious one, although I would not necessarily encourage significant and prolonged public input when it’s on an unnecessary cause, but in this particular case it’s quite evident that they only asked NWT Tourism and the Legion, outside of a few other professionals. Why didn’t the Minister of Transportation, in some form, even via newspaper ad, radio ad or information on their website, explain to people what their plan is and seek any type of public engagement or input on this particular issue? Does the Minister of Transportation not appreciate the input from the public? Thank you.
Thank you. We did do a consultation process with the public. We were not intending to change the shape of the plate. We were only trying to upgrade the plate first of all because the manufacturer was pulling out and was not going to be able to produce the identical plate anymore. It was an opportunity for us to update our plate because the plate did not meet national standards and didn’t for some time. It would be unfair, it would be very frustrating for the public to go embark on a consultation process where there was really not going to be a lot of changes, except for safety, visibility and size. So would we go out there and pretend that we’re going to change the shape of the plate and all these things that the Member is expecting the public to provide input when we were not going to do that? No, I think we had to meet national standards, we were one of the last jurisdictions, and we’ve done that. We have now a licence plate that is the envy of Canada. We’re hearing it from across the country that this is a plate that’s in high demand and they wish their jurisdictions would do that. I think we should applaud ourselves for the great work that’s been done.
The honourable Member for Sahtu, Mr. Yakeleya.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I want to ask questions to the Minister of Education and Culture. Several weeks ago I went to Colville Lake. I did a tour of the school in Colville Lake and I was reminded with the school of a program that I used to watch one time called Little House on the Prairie. Mr. Speaker, it reminded me because when I went to the school there were 36 children in this one classroom. It was one room and the parents are very concerned because there are 36 children in one classroom, kindergarten to Grade 6. They’re concerned because of the different grade levels that are being taught there; there are many distractions. So I want to ask the Minister in terms of this type of schooling that we have in the Northwest Territories, how many schools are still present today that will teach children in these types of situations?
The honourable Minister of Education, Culture and Employment, Mr. Lafferty.
Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. It was a spectacular trip to the Sahtu region and we did visit the school as well, toured the school there. Yes, it is a small school for the size of the population, but at the same time we are discussing, as part of the capital planning process, we need to reassess, we need to re-evaluate the school status. There may be other schools similar to that, but those are ongoing discussions that we do have with the district education authorities or council. It will be at their request, as well, if they are concerned or they want to have an extension on their school or a new school. So that should be the planning stages. So, Mr. Speaker, we are discussing this, because it was brought to my attention as well. Mahsi.
Thank you. I would like to ask the Minister to go a step further in terms of providing what he says is his mandate was to provide quality education in the Northwest Territories, specifically for Colville Lake, Mr. Speaker. That school that I talked about still has no running water, it has a honey bucket for a sanitary facility. I want to ask what things can bring Colville Lake School up to a quality education standard in the Northwest Territories, like any other school in the North. Again, if I could ask the Minister, how many schools like this in the Northwest Territories are under similar teaching conditions for the mandate that he is supposed to be working on?
Part of the discussion that we’ve had in the community was also... At times it is the wish of the community not to have running water, but at the same time we are pursuing with the school to put in a piping system for running water because we feel that we need to have students healthy in the school so the germs don’t spread around. So, Mr. Speaker, we are committing $225,000 to deal with that matter. At the same time we need to look forward at how we can work with the community on expansion down the road. So, Mr. Speaker, again, we need to work with the DEC and DEA at the community level. They’re the ones who the schools are under and we need to work closely with them. The visit to the community was a good opportunity for us to get into the community with my staff and just to see the school, the size of the school, how compact it is and so forth. So, yes, we will be putting in the piping system this year.
I do want to say that the community certainly appreciates the Minister’s tours in the Sahtu region that we had. I want to ask the Minister about his consultation and discussion and if he will come back in time on his review and if his review reviewed the adequacy against school capital standards and criteria for the Colville Lake School.
Once we identify assessment that needs to take place in that particular school, again, DEA -- sorry, DEC -- we need to work with and to identify as a capital project as well, either for next year or the following year. It depends on the space required.
I realize that, visiting the school, the space was maxed out. That is a concern to me, as well, having visited the school. We’ll continue to work with the DEC on identifying what is a priority for the community of Colville Lake and for our Department of Education, Culture and Employment.
Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. Item 8, written questions. Ms. Bisaro.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I request unanimous consent to return to item 5 on the Order Paper, recognition of visitors in the gallery.
---Unanimous consent granted
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I was remiss earlier as I didn’t have the names of two Pages from the riding of Frame Lake who have been working here this week. I’d like to thank them for their service and welcome Mikaela Tuccaro and Branden Horn.
Thank you, Ms. Bisaro. Item 9, returns to written questions. Item 10, replies to opening address. Item 11, petitions. Item 12, reports of standing and special committees. Item 13, reports of committees on the review of bills. Item 14, tabling of documents. The honourable Minister responsible for Industry, Tourism and Investment, Mr. Bob McLeod.
TABLED DOCUMENT 41-16(5):
EFFICIENT, AFFORDABLE AND EQUITABLE:
CREATING A BRIGHTER FUTURE FOR THE NWT ELECTRICITY SYSTEM, MAY 2010
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wish to table the following document entitled Efficient, Affordable and Equitable: Creating a Better Future for the Northwest Territories Electricity System.
Thank you, Mr. McLeod. The honourable Minister responsible for Finance, Mr. Miltenberger.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wish to table the following two documents entitled Supplementary Estimates No. 1, 2010-2011 (Operations Expenditures) and “Supplementary Estimates No. 3, 2010-2011 (Infrastructure Expenditures).
Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Item 15, notices of motion. Item 16, notices of motion for first reading of bills. Mr. Ramsay.
First reading of bills.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I give notice that on Monday, May 17, 2010, I will move that Bill 8, Social Work Profession Act, be read for the first time.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Tu Nedhe, that Bill 7, An Act to Amend the Elections and Plebiscites Act, be read for the first time.
Bill 7, An Act to Amend the Elections and Plebiscites Act has had first reading.
---Carried
Item 19, second reading of bills. Item 20, consideration in Committee of the Whole of bills and other matters: Tabled Document 4-16(5), Executive Summary of the Report of the Joint Review Panel for the Mackenzie Gas Project; Tabled Document 30-16(5), 2010 Review of Members’ Compensation and Benefits; Tabled Document 38-16(5), Supplementary Health Benefits – What We Heard; Bill 1, An Act to Amend the Veterinary Profession Act; Bill 2, An Act to Amend the Dental Auxiliaries Act; and Bill 3, Miscellaneous Statute Law Amendment Act, 2010, with Mr. Abernethy in the chair.
I’d like to call Committee of the Whole to order. Matters for consideration are: Tabled Document 4-16(5), Executive Summary of the Report of the Joint Review Panel for the Mackenzie Gas Project; Tabled Document 30-16(5), 2010 Review of Members’ Compensation and Benefits; Tabled Document 38-16(5), Supplementary Health Benefits – What We Heard; Bill 1, An Act to Amend the Veterinary Profession Act; Bill 2, An Act to Amend the Dental Auxiliaries Act; and Bill 3, Miscellaneous Statute Law Amendment Act, 2010. What is the wish of committee? Mr. Beaulieu.
