Madam Speaker, when the 17th Legislative Assembly set its goals, two of them were to support the growth of healthy, educated people and to operate an effective and efficient government. Today I would like to update my colleagues on an important development to the GNWT’s digital communications network, which is helping achieve those goals.
The network connects our 33 communities to the government’s communications system. Everything from critical department applications to Internet access and e-mail is delivered through this network. Without it, our ability to deliver high quality programs and services, especially in our remote communities, would be limited. It allows us to take advantage of new applications that enhance our services to the residents of the Northwest Territories. We recently entered into a five-year contract for the network that will improve the government’s ability to serve the people of the NWT.
Since work first started to establish the new contract, the Technology Service Centre worked closely with our two biggest users: the Department of Health and Social Services and the Department of Education, Culture and Employment. This helped us to better understand how technology can serve health and education. And it ensured that the new network would be flexible enough to grow with our government. We are now getting more bandwidth for the same price, and we can add more at a much more affordable rate. We’re also able to make sure that critical things like digital X-rays get top priority
when sending or receiving data. This is the most secure digital system our government has ever operated. We are committed to having the digital tools in place to be more efficient, more creative, and more cost-effective than ever before.
Our staff now have more ability to do in-house videoconferencing, reducing department travel costs. Communities that need it the most have had their bandwidth doubled.
In conjunction with the new DCN, and the future development of the Mackenzie Valley fibre link and the data communications improvements anticipated for the GNWT and all communities along its route, the benefits to the NWT will be significant in the years to come.
Madam Speaker, technology is critical to delivering our programs and services. I am confident that these improvements will benefit all of our residents in more innovative and cost-effective ways than ever before. Thank you, Madam Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Abernethy. The honourable Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment, Mr. Ramsay.
