Debates of May 15, 2007 (day 7)

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. We've been undertaking several debates and discussions about the proposed Deh Cho Bridge, and there's an item here, a new initiative proposed, Mr. Chairman, to provide funding for small capital projects in Fort Providence as follows: an ice bridge lite track vehicle for $275,000 and two ice spray pumps for $350,000; a total of $625,000. Mr. Chairman, I'd like to find out what is the requirement to spend this money now if we are potentially going to be looking at a permanent bridge within the next three years maybe. Is it necessary to spend this money now considering that we're already looking for money to help pay for the real thing, Mr. Chairman?

Thank you, Mr. Braden. Mr. Roland.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, the Department of Transportation has requested these funds for replacement of equipment, I believe. Maybe the Minister himself can provide more detail to that.

Thank you, Mr. Roland. Mr. Menicoche.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The new initiatives for the ice bridge track vehicle, I'm going to have to double check on this. I believe it is a replacement of an existing old piece of equipment that's there, and then two new ice spray pumps. The request here is to have new equipment as well as the ice spray pumps is going to help us speed up the ice bridge, to have it operating earlier and getting the equipment out there sooner and, of course, thickening the ice. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. Mr. Braden.

Thank you. I certainly appreciate the need for them. If there's a way of augmenting the equipment down there and getting the bridge open sooner and making it safe, that's great. But let's perhaps look at the bright side of things, Mr. Chairman. In two or three or maybe four years we're going to have a bridge. We're not going to need lite track vehicles or ice spray pumps. Instead of spending $625,000 for what would then be obsolete or unneeded equipment, would the department look at renting or leasing or getting the private sector to supply these services? Why do we have to invest this kind of money in equipment that's going to be used, I'm assuming here, but for a few short weeks of the year, Mr. Chairman? Are there options rather than spending money on equipment that really doesn't get used to its fullest extent, Mr. Chairman?

Thank you. Can I have order, please. Mr. Roland.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, the reason they are coming forward, as the Minister stated, is to enhance the ability to quicken the construction of the winter ice crossings. If things proceed as planned and the Deh Cho Bridge is built, this equipment then can be redeployed to other areas in the territory where we continue to use ice bridges for highways. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Roland. Mr. Braden.

Okay, I won't beat away on it, Mr. Chairman.

Beat away.

But I hope that perhaps the point has been made here, that just going out and continuing to buy and spend taxpayers' money on stuff that wears out and breaks down and doesn't get used potentially as much as it could have, there are options, as I asked about, with leasing, with getting the private sector to supply the service as and when needed, rather than investing taxpayers' money in this kind of capital expense. That's all, Mr. Chairman.

Thank you, Mr. Braden. I didn't hear any question there. Next I have Mr. Yakeleya.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I see a lot of work being done on the Highways No. 4, No. 8 and No. 1 reconstruction and paving. Huge numbers there. I don't see No. 5 there. So, Mr. Chairman, these highways in terms of reconstruction, what can the Minister tell me about the huge amounts of money that's going into reconstruction and paving? I see nothing in our region in terms of realignment of our winter roads and realignment of some of the danger spots there. There's lots of money in reconstruction and paving on these highways, so maybe I could ask the Minister to get a little more specific in terms of where do I want to ask the questions on the winter road.

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. Mr. Roland.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, the whole list of projects here identified is for the carry-over of either reconstruction or work that was being done that could not be done in '06-07 and has been requested to carry the money forward for '07-08. So it's not a new project. It's a project that's already been approved and they weren't able to complete the work. For example, on Highway No. 4, I understand it was due to not being able to get the work done in the season as part of the weather patterns as well as getting some of the work itself done. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Roland. Mr. Yakeleya.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, I know our winter roads disappear every year and they come back again. So I want to ask the Minister in terms of when I see the budget Mackenzie Highway winter roads, I noticed other communities outside my region also have these winter roads. But there's some dangerous spots in my region that certainly need some attention in terms of going from Wrigley to Tulita, Tulita to Deline. There are some roads that certainly need some reconstruction, and certainly from Norman Wells to Good Hope or even to Colville. I would ask the Minister if there is anything in the detailed plans in terms of looking at some of these roads that require some safety and some reconstruction work, or realignment as they like to call it. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. Mr. Roland.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, the Mackenzie Highway winter road program is a cost-shared program and it's through the Canadian strategic infrastructure fund package. So that's how this funding works. The carry-over is to help continue the bridge construction at Blackwater River and Bob's Canyon Creek in '07-08. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Roland. Mr. Yakeleya.

Thank you. I have driven Bob's Canyon Creek and I certainly appreciate the Minister looking at that area. I've driven, I've floated across Blackwater River. I certainly appreciate the Minister putting some work into that area, I applaud the Minister also. My question to the Minister on the Mackenzie winter roadwork is in terms of the realignment of some of the dangerous roads in our region. Again I'm going to point specifically to an area just outside of Deline where it's very windy, like a snake. Lots of work went in there in terms of an oil company going in there. Big loads, narrow roads, and money is going into reconstruction of some really good roads on Highway No. 4, Highway No. 8; the reconstruction work. We seem to be getting some pavement on some highways. Again, I want to ask the Minister, Mr. Chair, in terms of looking at our winter roads in the Sahtu.

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. Mr. Roland.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, again I have to just restate that these projects were already approved projects through the business plan, through the capital infrastructure acquisition plan, and the fact for the winter road bridges program that's cost shared and those projects were selected and agreed to with the partners. For further investments, as the Member is requesting for further work, again that would have to be requested and put through the normal business planning process. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Roland. We're on page 32. Highways, not previously authorized, $17.523 million.

Agreed.

Page 33, ferries, not previously authorized, $1.277 million.

Agreed.

Road licensing and safety, not previously authorized, $194,000.

Agreed.

Total department, not previously authorized, $22.671 million.

Agreed.

Page 34, Industry, Tourism and Investment, capital investment expenditures, economic development, not previously authorized, $1.360 million.

Agreed.

Mr. Hawkins.

Mr. Chairman, could I get some details as far as with this RV campground planning and development. Is this the Folk on the Rocks site money and, if so, is that proceeding? Maybe I can get some details first on what is that $140,000. Thanks.

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. Mr. Bell.

Mr. Chairman, this is planning money to look at potential sites for an RV campground. Of course, we're still doing some work and we have committed to another public meeting. I'm not sure if that date has been scheduled yet, but it's forthcoming. We're also, at the same point, going to, because of some of the suggestions that have come out of the public consultation, because of some of the concerns that have been raised by Members, we're going to look at some other sites as well. In any event, it's not the amount of money that we would need to construct the site. As Members know, there was a reduction in the small cap budgets, and so what we're prepared to do here is do some planning around potential sites. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Bell. Mr. Hawkins.

Is there an expectation in any way that we will have some type of parking for RVs this summer? Is there anything to be done, explored, that the Minister can talk about, or is it just planning money for maybe next year? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. Minister Bell.

No, Mr. Chairman. Without the money in the capital budgets, in the small cap budget, it wouldn't be possible to construct RV sites for this season. We're behind now. What we are proposing to do, though, is to do this planning so that we can move quickly. We feel that this is a need. It's something that we need to address. There were concerns raised to some of the public consultation and we're going to endeavour to find the best possible site in Yellowknife, but we maintain that it is necessary. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Bell. Mr. Hawkins.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I'll accept that. The visitors centre information at the 60th parallel, I brought to the attention of the Minister that there's been some graffiti and stuff, and this line item has reminded me that that's there. Have they cleaned up that site at the visitors sign that had graffiti on it? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. Mr. Roland.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, maybe the Minister can provide that at a later date. But the process here is for some work that has been identified so they can put into new initiatives. So there are some new dollars going into that for the 60th parallel; $75,000. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Roland. Economic development, not previously authorized. Mr. Braden.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I can't resist. I have to get some description on $226,000 to build a shower building. I'm sure there's more going on here for a quarter million dollars for more than just a shower building.

---Interjection

Oh, I see. Well, there's some wild speculation going on over here, but perhaps the Minister could help out, Mr. Chair.