Debates of May 30, 2005 (day 4)

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, my questions today are to the Minister of MACA in regard to the chipseal program in the Sahtu. I understand they are doing a report and review. What can the Minister tell the people in the Sahtu, specifically the citizens of Fort Good Hope, in terms of what type of support they will achieve this year on their chipsealing program because of the enormous amount of dust that is flying through people's windows, and what type of program the people will see in terms of the chipsealing program? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. The honourable Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs, Mr. McLeod.

Return To Question 42-15(4): Chipseal Program In Fort Good Hope

Madam Speaker, the Member had asked about the chipsealing program I believe in the last day of session, and I had indicated that this year our focus is on Tuktoyaktuk and Fort McPherson. We’re also doing some of the early work or have done some already in the community of Fort Good Hope. We’re doing some of the drainage studies and some of the work to the base that’s required. I would point out though that the chipsealing program is only for the main street. It does not allow us to pave the whole community. The dust problem in the small communities was always historically dealt with through application of calcium. The dollars are still in the community governments’ budgets. It is up to the communities to do so. The Department of Municipal and Community Affairs has no intention of going into each community and doing dust suppressant. We have a main street chipsealing program that will be allocated through a number of years to the different communities as per our schedule. Good Hope is one of the communities, but it won’t be for a couple of years yet to when we get to the point of actually laying the chipseal. So until that happens, the community is expected to use the money that is allocated in their budget to do some type of dust suppressant in the community. Thank you.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Thanks to the Minister for the update. In Fort Good Hope and the other communities of Deline and Colville Lake, a lot of people live along the main street and there are more vehicles than ever using the roads in the small communities. The chipsealing program is for the main street only, and that’s where my bone of contention is in terms of having this program in the small communities. The dust control suppression money doesn’t last very long because it deteriorates after several rainy days and it goes away and the dust comes back because the formula does not hold the dust down. So again, Madam Speaker, in terms of the chipsealing program, Fort Good Hope was slated and somehow it got moved back a couple of years. I know they were doing work there last year. People were looking forward to the chipsealing program. So what more can the department do to help the communities, especially the people who live close to the main roads, and curtail the dust in the communities this summer? It is going to be a hot and dry season. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. That was a very long preamble to a supplementary question. I would suggest that was actually a Member's statement, but, Minister McLeod.

Further Return To Question 42-15(4): Chipseal Program In Fort Good Hope

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, the Member is correct; the main street chipsealing program was reduced this year as our program had to cut the funding. So we had to reduce some of our activities in the different communities. Fort Good Hope is deferred by one year because of our budget restrictions. We’ve planned to have the community targeted as soon as Tuktoyaktuk and Fort McPherson are done. Having said that, we are also completing a study that we had a contractor do for us to look at the different conditions in the communities to see if there are any other options or solutions out there. The study is now complete. We are in the process of reviewing it. It will come forward with some recommendations and we would be pleased to share that information with the members of the different committees. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Thank you, Minister McLeod. Supplementary, Mr. Yakeleya.

Supplementary To Question 42-15(4): Chipseal Program In Fort Good Hope

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, the four months, May up to August, is 120 days that the community of Fort Good Hope has to go through the dust season. Would the Minister commit to helping the community get more money or asking his Cabinet to get more money so that more effective use of dust control can be used in the community in the interim, because it has been deferred for the one year? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. Mr. McLeod.

Further Return To Question 42-15(4): Chipseal Program In Fort Good Hope

Madam Speaker, I’m not sure if the Member is asking me to commit additional dollars to his community of Good Hope. The program was reduced and Fort Good Hope has been deferred for one year. However, there is already an allocation and has been historically an allocation to the community government funding to deal with dust. The community also has the option to invest in dust control if that is a priority. We do not dictate where the communities should invest their money. If they spend it in other areas, that is the community’s decision. So we can certainly indicate to the Member that we have a study that is complete. We’ll share that information that will indicate what the best option is for the community of Fort Good Hope. If he’s asking me to put in more money, at this point I don’t think I can commit to that, but I certainly will commit to looking for some long-term solutions for dealing with some of the dust in the communities. That’s a real priority. We’ve heard it over and over in our visits to the community. So I will commit to that, but not to additional funding at this point.

Thank you, Minister McLeod. Final supplementary, Mr. Yakeleya.

Supplementary To Question 42-15(4): Chipseal Program In Fort Good Hope

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, the chipsealing program would make a real difference in the small communities that don’t have a chipsealing program. The larger centres have paved roads; they don’t have to deal with the dust. In the smaller communities, the old people have to live day in and day out in houses where dust is a very big issue. It’s a crying shame that this government who wants to make a difference in the Northwest Territories, and we’ve got $40 million sitting by Cabinet. So would the Minister again look at the chipsealing programs in the communities and see if he can get anything done that will help the communities with their dust problems? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. Mr. McLeod.

Further Return To Question 42-15(4): Chipseal Program In Fort Good Hope

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Yes, we have been looking at the dust problem for a couple of years now. As I indicated earlier, we have undertaken to hire a contractor to come up with some options for us. We will look at that, and if it requires additional investment from this government, we will bring that forward. Thank you, Madam Speaker.