Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In my Member’s statement today I raised the issue yet again regarding the concern of distracted driving and the fact that we don’t have an appropriate level of legislation that reflects banning cell phones while people are driving. I continue to raise this issue with the Minister of Transportation. I am well aware that there is some discussion out there regarding maybe we will have a law, maybe we won’t have a law. Quite honestly, I am starting to wonder that perhaps maybe the Minister is waiting until either cell phones become obsolete or certainly perhaps he is waiting for cars and vehicles to become obsolete before the Department of Transportation will take this issue seriously.
In all honesty, Mr. Speaker, the real question today is: What is the plan of the Department of Transportation in respect to distracted driving? Are they planning on bringing forward any type of legislative amendment to make sure that our roads are safe on this particular issue? Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. The honourable Minister of Transportation, Mr. Michael McLeod.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I don’t think anybody is going to argue that a driver’s performance is severely undermined while talking on the cell phone or texting. I don’t think anybody is going to argue that driving around in your Lexus, drinking coffee, chewing gum and trying to stop your two kids from fighting in the back is considered a hazard.
Mr. Speaker, the Member pointed out in his Member’s statement that I, as a Minister, was amusing or flirting with legislation. I would suggest the Member make a date in the standing committee that we are working with, to find out where this piece of legislation is at. We have done a lot of work in this area. We have done research. We presented our findings to the standing committee. They have responded to us in writing. We are considering some of their recommendations and looking at the next steps going forward. Thank you.
Mr. Speaker, I appreciate that veiled response by the Minister of Transportation. Fortunately, I don’t chew gum so I know he wasn’t referring to me.
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Mr. Speaker, the Minister did say, as a response, that they have written the committee. They have gotten a response back from committee. I have to put the question right on the appropriate person, which is the Minister of Transportation. So now they have a response back from the committee. What specifically is the Department of Transportation planning to do on this issue and what type of timing is any decision going to be reflected in? Are we going to expect any type of decision in this government’s lifetime, which has less than a year to continue to perform before the next election, or is he just going to sit on it and wait until the next government makes a decision? Thank you.
Mr. Speaker, if the Member had attended committee meetings he would have known that we had informed the committee that we plan to move forward on this piece of legislation. We are right now looking at as to how comprehensive a distracted driving legislation policy document should be. We are also looking at recommendations made to allow for municipalities to opt out. This is difficult, of course, so we have to look at it from a number of different assessments. However, we would like to see something in place for consideration by committee and this House sometime in the new year. Thank you.
Mr. Speaker, it shows you how much attention the Minister of Transportation pays to the particular issue as well as the issue of me, because I don’t even sit on that committee, so yet another distraction to the issue.
Mr. Speaker, the Minister is quite vague on details as to what exactly and when this will be coming forward. It sounds like it is a hodgepodge. Quite clearly, this could be decided quite quickly. An amendment could come forward quite quickly. This opt in and out is not a decisive way of dealing with this issue. It is clearly a sitting on the fence way of dealing with this problem.
Mr. Speaker, what clear direction is the Department of Transportation going to lead with to show the Northwest Territories citizens that it is taking this responsibility very seriously? Thank you.
Mr. Speaker, obviously the Member is still not paying attention.
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Mr. Speaker, we committed to committee and provided information to committee on our findings. We provided a number of options that we would like considered as we move forward. We have response from committee. We are also watching, with great interest, as Alberta unveils their legislation sometime this fall. We have also had discussions with the CCMTA, the federal body that deals with best practices. They are coming out with recommendations that we would like to compile the findings of all that information with what we have already gathered and start developing legislation along with committee members, and, of course, the Member doesn’t sit on it so we may have to make a side trip to his office to present it to him directly, but we will ensure that he is in the loop.
We will provide all that information for discussion. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Final, short supplementary, Mr. Hawkins.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As I have often said, the government has the D problem, the deferred, delay, deny. I can go on forever. The Minister says he is watching Alberta about what they do, but, Mr. Speaker, where is the leadership from the Department of Transportation; more specifically, the Minister? Six other provinces have initiated a process and gone forward and taken action on this particular issue, Mr. Speaker. I am not sure what the Minister is waiting for.
Mr. Speaker, when can we see a legislative proposal that actually shows that the Department of Transportation is taking this issue seriously, they are taking action on this problem and putting the primary safety of our constituents up front as opposed to a privilege which they seem to be distracted with? Thank you.
Mr. Speaker, if the Member hasn’t recognized yet, the leaders provide direction to our Department of Transportation. We, of course, take any issues that affect the safety of our travelling public very seriously. It is a priority. As the Member is aware, we need to engage all the Members of this House as we move forward. We have already had a motion in this House defeated. We have to make sure that it takes into consideration all the different issues that may be addressed under distracted driving. It is going to take something that we want to move forward carefully. We want to make sure we get it right. We want to make sure we have the support of the Members of this House. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. McLeod. The honourable Member for Weledeh, Mr. Bromley.
