Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I want to ask the Minister of Transportation, I’ve heard the exchange between Premier McLeod and the honourable Member for Hay River, Mrs. Groenewegen, on this decentralization. I want to ask the Minister of Transportation about one issue that’s been bugging me for awhile.
As you know, the issue of the Tulita district, Norman Wells and Tulita, that there seems to be some interest by some oil companies to look at some of the work that could possibly happen. So I wanted to ask the Minister in terms of the decentralization issue – the Premier is saying you can count on us – if the department can look at plans moving their transportation office that will serve the Sahtu, moving it out of Fort Simpson’s regional office and Inuvik’s regional office so that it makes sense. It just makes sense to move those regional offices to the Sahtu rather than have that outside-looking approach where the two different regions are taking care of what we could take care of ourselves. Is the Minister looking at that concept where maybe one day he can convince his Cabinet colleagues to make that move for us?
Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. The honourable Minister responsible for Transportation, Mr. David Ramsay.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As things progress in the Sahtu – and we’re very excited about the prospects that are there – it certainly is something I think that would be in the mix as we look at the opportunities that are there. It’s something that the government certainly should take into consideration and we will do just that.
I’d like to ask the Minister when we can have some serious discussions where this government can say let’s make a move in the Sahtu, let’s look at moving some of the transportation responsibilities to the people in the Sahtu. When can we do that? When can the Minister provide this House and me with some discussion paper that this is the right move to make for this government?
In the Premier’s response to Mrs. Groenewegen, that work is going to start. We’re going to take a look at some of the decentralization and positions that may in fact find their way into the regional centres. Certainly in the case of the Sahtu, that would figure into that mix.
Again, it’s a process that has only just begun. As far as the timeline goes, I wouldn’t want to take a guess at that, but sooner rather than later.
Last year in the Sahtu the oil companies spent $80 million in the Sahtu just for looking at oil and gas exploration. They are expected to do double that this year. Further on they’re supposed to do a little more. We know there is business happening in the Sahtu. We’re asking this government, we’re willing to help the North, will you help us and start by putting some of these regional offices such as transportation? I know sooner sounds a lot better to me than later. Can the Minister, within the three years of this government, at least start seeing some shift of the regional transportation being moved into the Sahtu? Now we’re asking you to help us. I’m hoping that with the Premier’s work you can count on us that we can take that to the bank. Will the Minister look at something that we can do within the next business plan?
Yes, and I think again as things progress in the Sahtu, government has to realize that we’re going to have to look at capacity there. Not just in transportation but in business development and tourism and other things that are just going to be natural for us to be looking at should the population expand there, should the infrastructure expand there, and opportunities are there. We will have to certainly pay attention to that, and again, on the transportation and having an office in the Sahtu, that is something that we will consider.
Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. Final supplementary, Mr. Yakeleya.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Would the Minister assure me or the House that he’s bringing these types of discussions to the Cabinet level where they’ll have some discussions? It just makes sense and makes it right that we do, looking at decentralization of a Transportation department and make it into the Sahtu. Will the Minister then provide me with some concrete information saying that we’re going to have this discussion with the Cabinet? Can the Minister do that for us?
I can assure the Member that I have had those discussions with both my deputy ministers both in Transportation and at ITI. For me we’re going to have to see how that fits into the government-wide initiative when it comes to decentralization and where our resources are based. We will get to that work.
Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. The honourable Member for Range Lake, Mr. Dolynny.
