Debates of October 26, 2004 (day 28)

Thanks, Mr. Yakeleya. Any response, Mr. Dent?

Thank you, Madam Chair. I’m sure that the Minister was listening to Member's advice and will make sure that the federal Minister is advised to that.

Thank you, Mr. Dent. I have Mr. Villeneuve and then Mr. Pokiak. Mr. Villeneuve.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I just have a quick question, probably more directed to the Minister of Transportation, I guess. With the Mackenzie gas project on the horizon and increased traffic both on the roads and in the air coming through the whole NWT -- that’s including Inuvik, Fort Simpson, Fort Smith, Hay River and everywhere else where there used to be a lot of 737 service in Norman Wells, Inuvik and beyond to Alaska, Fort Simpson, to Whitehorse and the Yukon, and Hay River south -- I’m just wondering why the federal government has no plan in place or doesn’t plan on upgrading or supplying these points of no return. I guess if you want to leave the NWT with explosive detection equipment, why would it only be Yellowknife?

When airlines want to increase their services and expand and start flying to remote places from Inuvik and Simpson and wherever, Smith or Hay River, why wouldn’t they consider a long-term plan to have this equipment in all these points of interest? All these planes are going to have return to Yellowknife to get their baggage to put through the detection equipment. How is that going to limit the airlines and how do they feel about the future of this whole initiative? I just want clarification on that. Thanks.

Thank you, Mr. Villeneuve. Mr. Dent.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Could I refer the question to the Minister of Transportation, please?

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Mr. McLeod.

Madam Chair, the explosion detective systems and the whole bag of systems is going to be located at Yellowknife. That decision was made by the federal government and the intention is to target transfer traffic that is going from other northern airports, such as Inuvik, Norman Wells, and Rankin Inlet and other northern locations, that is passing through and bound for southern destinations. The Member is asking for details of the assessments made by the federal government. I don’t have that at my disposal, Madam Chair, and I don’t know if I would be able to provide it. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Mr. Villeneuve.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I guess maybe it’s something that this government should make the federal government aware of; that given the increase in the international travel, you see it all the time with big jets landing here in Yellowknife, landing in Inuvik or in Whitehorse, just due to security reasons or mechanical purposes, but eventually there is probably going to be flight services from Inuvik to Moscow in the near future. Who’s to say that’s not going to happen? I know we do a lot of work in that country as it is, and just not to have a plan in place to ensure -- if you want to ensure that there is some national security safety issues and whatnot -- that’s all taken into consideration. I don’t know how the federal government can come up with a one-stop shop for explosive detection, especially in a territory this big. I don’t know what kind of input we had into it but, by the looks of it, I don’t think we had any input into this whole CATSA initiative and, like Jane was referring to, we're just dancing to the federal government's tune as a national security issue and I don't think they have really put much thought into it. That's all I have to say.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. Villeneuve. Any response, Mr. Dent?

Thank you, Madam Chair. I think the Member has made it clear that there's an interest from other communities to be able to have flights originate in them and I have no doubt that the Minister of Transportation will pass that on to his federal counterpart when he has the occasion to meet with him.

Thank you. Next on the list I have Mr. Pokiak.

Thank you, Madam Chair. In following in line with some of my colleagues here, the experience that I've seen in the Beaufort-Delta, when industry was doing a lot of exploration work up there, they completely bypassed Inuvik. They flew directly from Calgary to Edmonton and bypassed Inuvik. So with that experience, I'm just wondering is the department preparing for an influx. I'll give a good example: they expanded Tuk's airport from 3,000 to 5,000 feet to accommodate 737s back in the '80s. Right now, the information that was provided, the Department of Transportation wants to cut it back down to 4,000 feet, which the hamlet of Tuk doesn't want to happen. But with the experience I've encountered in the past, Madam Chair, industry will completely bypass Inuvik because they have ways of getting directly to the closest worksite and that's what they were doing in the past. So will the Minister have something in the plan to cover that in case it does happen, because I know it will, Madam Chair. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Pokiak. Mr. Dent.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Could I refer the question to the Minister of Transportation, please?

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Mr. McLeod.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I will certainly take that concern and raise it with the federal government. However, I have to repeat again, CATSA does not share their security implementation plans with us as to what they're going to do with other airports. Right now the focus is on Yellowknife, as far as we know in terms of what they're going to implement for security. As traffic volumes are increased in other communities, certainly I'm sure there would be consideration. Screening devices are based on traffic volumes, so if traffic volumes are on a rise as a result of polar flights or international travel or other means, we would have to look at that along with the federal government. At this point, we are not aware of other plans for security devices in any other airports. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Mr. Pokiak.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Again, is this going to be a concern? As I say, I can pretty well guarantee that Tuk will probably be one of the biggest traffic volumes. With past experience, as I said earlier, Madam Chair, they were flying seven days a week and landing in Tuktoyaktuk and flying out of there, totally bypassing Yellowknife and Inuvik in some cases. So again, how will the department, Madam Chair, ensure that we're talking about security, ensure that that's going to be in place if they're going to completely bypass Yellowknife in that regard? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Pokiak. Mr. Dent.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I would like to refer that question to the Minister of Transportation.

Thank you. Mr. McLeod.

Madam Chair, if the planes are coming from a southern destination, then they would have a security check there. However, there may be a concern, as the Member raises, as to the flights going from the North to the South. At this point I don't have an answer for that.

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Mr. Pokiak.

Thank you, Madam Chair. If it's going to be a concern from the South to the North, there has to be concern from the North to the South. How can we ensure under CATSA that the security will be there? Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you. Mr. Dent.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Madam Chair, the Minister has committed to raise the issue with CATSA. It will be a CATSA decision, so if they say that the planes have to stop in Yellowknife for security clearance before they go on to Edmonton, then they can issue that requirement. But the Minister has committed to raise this issue and I will follow up with it. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Transportation, capital investment expenditures, airports, special warrants, $3.4 million. Mr. Ramsay.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I move that we rise and report progress.

The motion is in order, it's not debatable. All those in favour of the motion? All those opposed? The motion is carried.

---Carried

I will now rise and report progress. Thank you, Mr. Dent. Thank you, Mr. Voytilla. Thank you, Mr. McLeod.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, your committee has been considering Bill 13, Supplementary Appropriation Act, No. 2, 2004-2005, and would like to report progress. Mr. Speaker, I move that the report of Committee of the Whole be concurred with. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. Seconder? The honourable Member for Great Slave, Mr. Braden. There is a motion on the floor, the motion is in order.

Question.

All those in favour? All those opposed? The motion is carried.

---Carried

Orders of the day for Wednesday, October 27th, at 1:30 p.m.:

Prayer

Ministers' Statements

Members' Statements

Returns to Oral Questions

Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery

Oral Questions

Written Questions

Returns to Written Questions

Replies to Opening Address

Petitions

Reports of Standing and Special Committees

Reports of Committees on the Review of Bills

Tabling of Documents

Notices of Motion

Notices of Motion for First Reading of Bills

Motions

- Motion 20-15(3), Affordable Electric Power

First Reading of Bills

Second Reading of Bills

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

- Minister's Statement 48-15(3), Sessional Statement

- Minister's Statement 49-15(3), Fiscal Update

- Minister's Statement 54-15(3), Progress Report on

Health and Social Services in the NWT

- Minister's Statement 68-15(3), NWT Housing

Corporation: From the Ground Up, Celebrating 30

Years

- Bill 13, Supplementary Appropriation Act, No. 2,

2004-2005

Report of Committee of the Whole

Third Reading of Bills

Orders of the Day

Thank you, Mr. Clerk. Accordingly, this House stands adjourned until Wednesday, October 27, 2004, at 1:30 p.m.

---ADJOURNMENT

The House adjourned at 4:43 p.m.