Debates of November 29, 2007 (day 5)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my questions surround my Member’s statement in regards to the maintenance and disrepair of our highway systems in the Northwest Territories. I think we do have to look at how we maintain the highway systems we have. The practice to date has been applying calcium, continue to grade and apply more crushed gravel to the surface and continue on trying to be able to maintain that system, but yet, Mr. Speaker, it is not working. We are realizing our climate is changing. We are seeing more rain. We are seeing more permafrost separation by way of roads shifting and culverts collapsing. I think it is crucial that we look at an alternative. Mr. Speaker, I believe the alternative that we have to look at is chipseal or looking at eventually permanent pavement on our highway systems.

Mr. Speaker, there has been pavement in Inuvik for quite a few years. You drive the Alaska Highway; it is paved pretty well all the way to Whitehorse. You can drive from Whitehorse to Dawson City which is chipseal and even parts of the Dempster Highway in the Yukon is chipseal. I would like to ask the Minister, is he willing to consider looking at a different way of maintaining our highway systems by implementing a territorial-wide program that will chipseal all of our gravel highways so that we can bring our highway systems up to the standards of other jurisdictions in Canada? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. The honourable Minister of Transportation, Mr. Yakeleya.

Return To Question 62-16(1): Creative Approach To The Maintenance Of Highway Infrastructure

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I thank the Member for Mackenzie Delta for the question. Mr. Speaker, I had driven last year on the Dempster Highway. I know what the Minister is talking about first hand in terms of the conditions on the Dempster Highway. Mr. Speaker, our department’s first priority, of course, to all residents who are travelling our highway, is safety. Safety is number one in our books in terms of our transportation system. I would say that we didn’t do any work on the Dempster Highway in terms of putting calcium coating on the surface of the Dempster and the reconstruction of the Dempster to bring it up to some standards to where we can look at further investments into the Dempster Highway.

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. Supplementary, Mr. Krutko.

Supplementary To Question 62-16(1): Creative Approach To The Maintenance Of Highway Infrastructure

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I believe it is crucial that we do come up with a territorial change in regards to how we maintain our gravel highways in the Northwest Territories. I would like to ask the Minister again, would he ask his department to work with other departmental agencies? We have a chipseal program in regards to MACA that we’ve just piloted, and I believe it’s a good start but I think we have to expand that to include our roads throughout the Northwest Territories. So I’d like to ask the Minister, would he take an in-depth review of the maintenance program we presently follow and see if we can apply a chipseal program throughout our highway systems in the Northwest Territories?

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. Mr. Yakeleya.

Further Return To Question 62-16(1): Creative Approach To The Maintenance Of Highway Infrastructure

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, our staff and our contractors are doing an exceptional job in terms of maintaining our infrastructure, especially on the highways. Mr. Speaker, I welcome the suggestion from the Member here in terms of part of our view in terms of priorities and infrastructure within the Department of Transportation is to look at areas where we can ensure and commit investment in terms of improving our highway systems like the Member is suggesting; looking at the chipsealing of the Dempster Highway. I would take that as a suggestion in terms of when we look at long-term priorities of our highway systems.

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. Supplementary, Mr. Krutko.

Supplementary To Question 62-16(1): Creative Approach To The Maintenance Of Highway Infrastructure

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, just to remind the Minister that there used to be a major undertaking by way of applying calcium to our highway systems. There was a major cutback over the last number of years where on very few sections of our highways calcium was being applied. Again, we talk about dust control. But right now that is the only option that we have in front of us to provide the public with safe driving conditions that they can drive under. But yet it’s not…

Do you have a question Mr. Krutko?

I’d like to ask the Minister, would he seriously look at the possibility of implementing a territorial program to chipseal our gravel highways in the Northwest Territories?

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. Mr. Yakeleya.

Further Return To Question 62-16(1): Creative Approach To The Maintenance Of Highway Infrastructure

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the suggestion that the Member has referred to is a huge task on all of us within government in terms of the limited amount of money that we have in terms of our infrastructure needs in the North here. It’s about balancing our funding to protect and also to fix up our existing facilities, like Highway No. 8, and even to respond to new needs of other areas that do not have a highway. I have other areas to look at also, so I would again take the Member’s suggestion very seriously in terms of looking at his suggestion as one of our areas for long-term infrastructure needs as part of our planning priority process. I would certainly like to have full discussions with the Member to that point.

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. Final, short supplementary, Mr. Krutko.

Supplementary To Question 62-16(1): Creative Approach To The Maintenance Of Highway Infrastructure

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we have implemented the main street maintenance program through MACA. I believe it was a pilot project. Again, I believe it’s a good start, but we’re not going to be able to accomplish our communities. However, all I’m asking for the Minister to consider is a pilot project for our highway systems to look at, not any major capital dollars, but applying it on our different highway systems to see exactly how we can improve our highway systems for the general public. So, again, I’m asking the Minister, we know we got $38 million of infrastructure funding, let’s use it. We got a raise in regards to the amount of borrowing limit we have, so let’s fill in that gap. I’d like to ask the Minister if he can act on this matter as soon as possible.

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. Mr. Yakeleya.

Further Return To Question 62-16(1): Creative Approach To The Maintenance Of Highway Infrastructure

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, what I can commit to the Member is that I would like to drive the Dempster Highway to see it first hand the issues and challenges into the issues here. Because, you know, safety of the travellers is our most important goal here with the department. I would take, again, his suggestion in terms of reviewing the Member’s suggestion. Thank you.