Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions will be directed to the Minister of Transportation today.
In my Member’s statement I talked about good public discussion on issues such as using cellphones while driving and, of course, smoking in cars with children. As a package issue would the Minister be willing to get out there and see what Northerners want and what they’re willing to have as new, or potentially new, road-safety rules?
The honourable Minister of Transportation, Mr. Yakeleya.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My department is always very committed to the safety of the travelling public, and I’d be happy to listen to what the people of the Northwest Territories have to say about these two issues that the Member has raised.
I actually didn’t hear the answer. I was trying to listen very carefully. Would the Minister be willing to get out there and call for a public dialogue on these issues to make sure that we’re hearing the needs of our citizens out there and absolutely making sure we’re meeting the basic needs of our citizens?
Mr. Speaker, I would repeat that the department is monitoring the situation of cellphones that he raised and also the banning of smoking in vehicles while children are present in the vehicle. The department is monitoring the situation and monitoring the reviews that are happening across Canada. The department is interested in engaging in some discussions with the MLA and the public in terms of what emergent issues need to come forward in terms of continuing on and seeing what we can do with dealing with these two issues.
I heard that very clearly this time around. Does the Minister have any suggestions as to how we’re going to get public feedback on this issue? I’m glad to hear the Ministry is….
Interruption.
We’ve got a technical problem.
Continue with your question, Mr. Hawkins.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and thank you, whomever.
Mr. Speaker, the issue really is: can the Minister tell me how he plans to get out there and get that feedback? He did say his department is monitoring the situation, but how is he getting out there to get feedback from the general citizenship of the Northwest Territories?
Mr. Speaker, there are seven communities in the Northwest Territories that have cellphone coverage out of 34 communities, which are the larger centres. That’s 8,000 — in my estimate, from NorthwesTel — cellphone users in the Northwest Territories. We do not have this coverage all along our transportation infrastructure road system. We’re not at that level yet. So in that sense we are monitoring the situation. We certainly have to talk to these centres that do have cellphone coverage.
On the banning of smoking in vehicles with children in them, we understand that Nova Scotia and Yukon do have this ban. We have to, again, monitor the situation. There are lots of issues of this type that are talked about amongst the Ministers of Transportation. Alberta is into that type of discussion. When we are coming closer to the amendments of the Motor Vehicles Act, that will enhance some issues in terms of amendments to the act. I am following the issues with the department, and I’ll continue reporting to the Member as to how we’re doing with our progress.
Final supplementary, Mr. Hawkins.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My position is quite simple. I’d rather not be in the back seat riding along with this issue. I’d rather be in the driver’s seat on this issue.
The Minister did mention some potential amendments. All I’m calling for is some public discussion, maybe an ad in the paper or on the radio saying that we’re looking for feedback from citizens of the Northwest Territories on this issue. Let’s get control of this issue. Let’s get ahead of the bubble. Let’s grab hold of it and make sure we know what people want and put safety first. Would the Minister do that?
Mr. Speaker, the Member is correct in terms of the education process. I do apologize that I didn’t mention that the Department of Transportation has a campaign, a single-window approach, in terms of all drivers on the road: the Drive Alive campaign. This is one process that we will be sure the Members in the House and the public in the communities know. We will enhance our component of the Drive Alive safety program to let them know about the issue of any type of distraction in the vehicle and the dangers of second-hand smoke, especially when there are children in the vehicle. We’ll certainly work closely with our Minister of Health and Social Services to ensure that this issue does have front-page notice and that we are in the front seat driving this issue.
The honourable Member for Mackenzie Delta, Mr. Krutko.
