Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I listened with interest to my colleagues from Yellowknife talking about the wait times for driver testing. I understand that there is urgency sometimes for people to get their driver’s licence, and it is a concern. I’d like to put a little different spin on it.
About 40 years ago next week I was turning 16 and I wanted to get my driver’s licence on my birthday, so I didn’t stay in the small town or go to the city where you had to wait. I went to this other small town where they issued driver testing and driver’s licences. I got my parents to drive me to that town, and I passed my learners and I got my driver’s licence on my 16th birthday.
But, Mr. Speaker, the wait time in Hay River isn’t three months. I understand it’s less than two weeks, so I have a suggestion for people in Yellowknife that maybe they’d like to just take a quick flight over the lake, come down to Hay River. We’ve got a small company there that does driver training. I’m sure they’d give you a quick orientation and you could probably, for a small fee, use their car and take your driver testing.
I’d like to ask the Minister of Transportation: A driver’s licence issued in any community in the Northwest Territories is good anywhere to drive anywhere, I trust? Thank you.
Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. The Minister responsible for Transportation, Mr. Ramsay.
Yes, Mr. Speaker. A Northwest Territories driver’s licence issued at any community in the Northwest Territories is good anywhere in the Northwest Territories. Thank you.
Could the Minister, after the research he did for my colleagues, confirm that the wait time for Hay River is less than two weeks to take a test?
The stats that I’ve received from the department would indicate that wait times in Hay River for a driver’s licence and road test would be one to two weeks. Yes.
Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. The Member for Frame Lake, Ms. Bisaro.
