Mr. Speaker, today I want to talk about a subject I’ve raised before in this House, and it’s my concern about Yellowknife Airport parking.
I’ve highlighted the concern that Transportation continues to invest a lot of money in the installation and the repair of the airport parking-ticket machine, and yet the problems continue not to be solved. I wonder how much money will continue to be spent out there on a product, a technology, that just can’t serve people. Mr. Speaker, it’s a waste of money.
In my view, things have gone far off the rails and way out of hand. Anybody who has recently travelled or gone out to the airport to pick up loved ones will know that this parking machine isn’t worth its salt, because long-term parkers have taken up all the spaces and not allowed short-term people out there. This machine isn’t working.
I’m in favour of a simplified process that allows people to get out there with little or no administration. People need to get out there quick and easy, have lunch, picked up loved ones, et cetera. But there’s no parking for those folks, because, again, long-term parkers have taken it up, and the government isn’t charging money for that.
The barriers are gone or they’re left up, so anyone can just drive in there and stay as long as they like. And some stay for a long time — weeks — and nobody pays. What we’ve done is design free, secure parking that’s being provided to the special few.
I can’t see how this government can continue to justify its investment in this parking machine if it’s not working. We’re wasting money, Mr. Speaker. This government continually talks and preaches about efficiency and spending money wisely, but it’s yet to be seen.
We just heard the budget speech from the Finance Minister. Money is our problem. Spending is our problem. So I ask: why do we continue to spend money on a machine that doesn’t work?
All is not lost. Instead of wasting $30,000 or more on a machine that doesn’t work, instead of spending $10,000 or more at a time to fix the darned thing, I’m suggesting we invest in the age-old technology called a clipboard and a pencil. We could go out there and check on who’s paid. If they haven’t paid at the end of the day and they’re not on the list, they could be removed or taken out of the situation.
But the fact is that this is a diabolical departure from normal practice — simplifying it and making something that works.
Mr. Speaker, may I ask unanimous consent to conclude my statements?
Unanimous consent granted.
Mr. Speaker, as I’ve highlighted, we have a really simple situation here. First of all, we have a money problem and a machine that could be making us a lot of money every year. We have a revenue problem; we’ve heard the Finance Minister speak to it many times. Why do you think we’re in the situation we are? It’s time to go back to start doing business properly and efficiently. I think if the Minister listens very carefully, we could probably solve this problem without trying to embarrass the government by getting on and doing business right.
Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. The Member for Nunakput, Mr. Jacobson.
