Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, on a somewhat lighter note today, I have a question for the Minister of Transportation. I recently had occasion to be at the Yellowknife Airport waiting for someone to arrive and couldn’t help but notice these tall, bright, shiny signs that had "Minister" written on one and "Premier" on the other. I would like to ask the Minister of Transportation, in his very expensive expansion of $12 million at the Yellowknife Airport, did he take it upon himself to ensure that he and the Premier would secure free parking at the airport? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Boo!

Speaker: MR. SPEAKER

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. The honourable Minister of Transportation, Mr. McLeod.

Return To Question 111-15(5): Designated Parking Stalls At Yellowknife Airport

Michael McLeod

Deh Cho

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am not sure which bright, shiny sign the Member is referring to. We have small, little signs…

---Laughter

…on a couple of parking stalls and one is for the Minister of Transportation and the other one is for the RCMP. We don’t have one for the Premier. We have two parking stalls that are dedicated, one for the government and one for the RCMP.

Speaker: MR. SPEAKER

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Supplementary, Mrs. Groenewegen.

Supplementary To Question 111-15(5): Designated Parking Stalls At Yellowknife Airport

Jane Groenewegen

Hay River South

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Unless the head of the RCMP has been renamed the Premier, the sign on the parking stall says "Premier." I know how to read, and right beside it says “Minister.” As I was searching for a parking place in the overcrowded parking lot at the airport, I saw those two empty spots and it was very tempting to take one of those, but, being as I am not the Premier or the Minister, I thought I had better not. But there is designated parking and we pay for our parking here, we come to work every month, it comes off our paycheque if we want a parking spot and I want to know if the Premier and the Minister have free parking at the airport. Thank you.

Speaker: MR. SPEAKER

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. Mr. McLeod.

Further Return To Question 111-15(5): Designated Parking Stalls At Yellowknife Airport

Michael McLeod

Deh Cho

The Member is correct; the Minister does have a parking stall there. We do a lot of business in the airport. We are responsible for the airport. The Premier does not have a parking stall, unless he’s taken a nameplate and put it over the RCMP.

---Laughter

As far as I know, we'll have to go back and take a look, but as far as I know it's only the Minister of Transportation and the RCMP that have nameplates, along with rental vehicles and companies of that nature. Thank you.

Speaker: MR. SPEAKER

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Time for question period has expired, however, I will allow the Member a supplementary. Mrs. Groenewegen.

Supplementary To Question 111-15(5): Designated Parking Stalls At Yellowknife Airport

Jane Groenewegen

Hay River South

Thank you. Now finding out the Premier doesn't know he had a parking stall, I won't have any guilt or hesitation to take that stall now when I go there. We could go for a drive, but it's there.

---Laughter

It says "Premier," it says "Minister," and if the travelling public is required to pay for parking at the airport and go through the parking booth, I would suggest it would be appropriate for the Minister and the Premier to do the same. So I would certainly encourage anybody that wants to go out. I could go take a picture for you, but we could just go for a drive. Will the Minister undertake to look into this and to clarify for this House what the provisions are for the Minister and the Premier at the airport? Thank you.

Speaker: MR. SPEAKER

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. Mr. McLeod.

Further Return To Question 111-15(5): Designated Parking Stalls At Yellowknife Airport

Michael McLeod

Deh Cho

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Once again, we'll have somebody go see if the signs have been changed, or, if I'm not correct, we will ensure that parking nameplates are in the proper places. The stall for the Minister is there because we do a lot of work and do a lot of business at the airport. If the travelling public spends as much time as I do there, maybe we'd have to take a look at that, but that's why we have a stall reserved for the Minister. We don't have one for the Premier; however, we do have one for the RCMP. We will go there and check to see if all the nameplates are in the proper places. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Speaker: MR. SPEAKER

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Time for oral questions has expired. The honourable Member for Sahtu, Mr. Yakeleya.

Norman Yakeleya

Sahtu

Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to return to item 5 on the orders of the day.