Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am going to wade into the debate on our redesigned licence plates today. I cannot express strongly enough how glad I am that we kept the polar bear shape. Judging by what I heard from my constituents, I suspect that there might have been a revolt amongst our residents if the shape had been changed.
I can accept that there was a need to modernize and update the slogan, so that change is spectacular. But I am having difficulty with the new design, the added colour and the silhouette. I have to wonder if in the dead of winter in the dark and the snow, the plate won’t look anything more than a dirty white blob.
Mr. Speaker, I am most offended by the minimal -- to quote the Minister -- fee that the residents must pay for this new improved plate. Generally when there is an initiative from the government, it is paid for by the government, but not so in this case. The government is telling us that they have a new, improved, wonderful item for us and, oh, by the way, you have to buy one. We already pay a healthy fee to register our vehicles annually, $82.60 for a car. Why are we paying these fees? I believe, as do a number of residents, that the cost of these new plates should be covered by our annual vehicle registration fee and/or the government’s O and M budget. It is not much money, Mr. Speaker, but with this new cost, the government is nickel and diming our residents.
Another aspect of this change which is increasingly annoying for me is that we are being forced to spend the extra $10. There is no option to refuse, no option to keep the old plate until it needs to be replaced. I hate waste, Mr. Speaker, and I have great difficulty throwing out something which is still in perfectly good working order. So I wonder why we can’t keep the old plate until it actually isn’t in good working order. My colleague Mr. Menicoche asked the question yesterday of the Minister and I didn’t hear an answer.
Last, but certainly not least, I’ve heard from constituents that the consultation was lacking. Where was the public’s chance to provide input into the new design? If the Department of Transportation had at least posted three or four new designs on their website and then asked residents to vote for their favourite, that would have sufficed. The department certainly consulted with industry partners and some user groups, but any input from the general public was sadly lacking.
Mr. Speaker, change is always difficult and I know the government is trying to be efficient with our dollars, but I have to disagree with their approach in this case. We should be allowed to keep the old plate until it’s necessary for a new one and the government should cover the cost of the new plates from vehicle registration fees. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you. The honourable Member for Nahendeh, Mr. Menicoche.
MEMBER’S STATEMENT ON
PASSING OF FREDERICK NORWEGIAN
Mr. Speaker... [English translation not provided]
Frederick Frank Norwegian of Jean Marie quietly passed away on Friday, May 7th, 2010. The passing of a loving husband, father, grandfather, uncle, cousin and friend is so profound that every one of our hearts has felt the heartache. Fred is survived by his mother Bella, his wife, Mavis, his daughters Maxine, Connie, Angela and Pamela, his grandsons Kirby, Zachary, Ethan, and his siblings Douglas, Billy, Minnie, Margaret, Andy, Gladys, Jerry and their families.
Freddie, as siblings and close relatives strongly called him, was born to Bella and late father Louie Norwegian in Jean Marie River on August 9th, 1941. He spent most of his early childhood in Jean Marie River. He grew up in a household with hardworking parents and a community rich in their language, culture and understanding of their relationships with the land and all other living things.
At the age of 12 he spent a year at the Sacred Heart School in Fort Providence and then continued his education in Jean Marie River, Yellowknife, and later he went down to Fairview College where he took up agricultural studies. After completing Grade 12 he went to work on an experimental farm in Fort Simpson. When the experimental farm shut down, Freddie made a career change and went to work for the federal government and continued with his education at the University of Alberta in Edmonton.
Freddie married his wife, Mavis, in Fort Simpson on June 26th, 1970. Together with two daughters, Maxine and Connie, they moved to Yellowknife in the mid-1970s. Freddie continued to work with the federal government as Manpower manager. While in Yellowknife, he had two more daughters, Angela and Pamela.
In 1997, upon the request of his aunt, Sarah Hardisty, Freddie applied for and accepted the position of the band manager in Jean Marie River. Freddie has worked for the Jean Marie River First Nation in many capacities: band manager, sub-chief, acting chief, and a full term as chief throughout the past 13 years.
Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.
---Unanimous consent granted
The greatest love in his life was his family. Freddie and Mavis had been married 39 years, just one month short of 40 years. Together they raised four beautiful daughters: Maxine, Connie, Angela and Pamela. He wanted his daughters to grow up wise, courageous, respectful and successful, and it is very evident that he achieved this. His daughters and wife, Mavis, were all there by his bedside to say their goodbyes as he took his last breath. As painful as it was to let him go, they were brave and courageous. I extend my personal blessings of courage, strength and wisdom in their time of grieving.
Freddie lived his life the best way he could. He had integrity and tremendous strength. This strength stayed with him right until the end. We are very thankful for all the special moments and fond memories we shared with Freddie. He will continue to live within our hearts and minds. Mahsi cho.
The honourable Member for Nunakput, Mr. Jacobson.
MEMBER’S STATEMENT ON
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today my Member’s statement is on the Mackenzie Gas Pipeline Project. Mr. Speaker, last month the National Energy Board wrapped up final discussions in Inuvik, and hopefully if all goes well the NEB will make their final ruling regarding the megaproject within the next several months. These discussions have been ongoing in one way or another for decades.
Every time this project gets delayed it goes through another series of discussions, and the chance the program won’t happen increases. This may be okay for the southern NWT, but the north needs this project. We do not have diamond mines to generate huge employment. We need these jobs. We need the businesses in the Beaufort-Delta and right down the valley. We need hope.
I’m concerned about the sunset clause extension regarding the Mackenzie Gas Project, but I’m more concerned about the lack of coordination of the government to identify this project as a major priority. Previously the Government of the Northwest Territories Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment filed comments to the National Energy Board on recommendations by the Joint Review Panel, because the National Energy Board ultimately has the final decision on further developments in the Mackenzie Gas Pipeline. These comments are very important and must be given the highest priority.
As I mentioned previously, businesses in the North have been hoping for this project and have shovels already in the ground by now. We’re struggling. If this project, for whatever reason, is delayed again, many businesses in our region may not be able to hold on. That is a shame.
I urge this government to monitor these developments closely, to ensure economic interest of the Territory is maintained and that the project continues to move forward. Considering the importance of this project in the Northwest Territories, this government must be front and centre while clearly promoting the timelines and deliverables with parties including applicants, stakeholders and companies. Now it is time this government works with the federal government and the ministerial offices, such as Tony Clement, Minister of Industry, and Chuck Strahl as the Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development.
I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.
---Unanimous consent granted
Now it is time this government works with the federal government and the ministerial offices of Tony Clement, Minister of Industry; and Chuck Strahl, the Minister of Indian and Northern Affairs; and the Minister of Canadian Northern and Economic Development Agencies, to ensure getting the prioritization it deserves. This government must devote resources and attention to this megaproject that it deserves. Without this commitment we don’t look very serious. I’ll have more questions for the Minister at the appropriate time regarding the pipeline.
The honourable Member for Kam Lake, Mr. Ramsay.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. With hearing all this discussion about the new polar bear licence plate, it has me thinking about the polar bear brand and how it has been for so long associated with the Northwest Territories. It took many years to create that brand and that association.
I have an idea I’m going to throw out to the Minister. Ms. Bisaro said she doesn’t like to see waste and what are we going to do with those old licence plates. Since they cost $10 to buy the new ones, I think people should be allowed to trade their old one in for a new one. Then the Government of the Northwest Territories, through their tourism, ITI, should take all of those licence plates and offer them to tourists that are coming to the Northwest Territories, for $20; hey, not $10, $20. Our polar bear licence plates are so popular that people steal them off our cars when we go down south. Here’s a great opportunity.
You can’t just come here and buy a licence plate if you don’t need one, for some reason, except for those little dinky ones they sell to tourists with three zeros on them. I think that we should allow residents of the Northwest Territories to turn in their now obsolete licence plates in exchange for a new one and the government should then sell them at $20 to the tourists. The tourists will go away happy and there’s a whole industry that could generate some revenue for the Department of Transportation or some enterprising person through ITI.
I am a bit of a connoisseur of options and I’ve often been at auction sales where old licence plates come up and they very often go for a very high price. Back in the days when they had the year of them on, particularly some people are collectors and they like to get the sequence of all those years.
On another idea regarding the polar bear, I understand that we’re going to be replacing the polar bear sign at the 60th parallel coming into the Northwest Territories. I would again like to suggest that this not be taken and dropped off at the local landfill. I think you should sell it to the highest bidder. That is a trademark in the Northwest Territories. Those of us who have lived here for many years have a picture every time our kids go by there. The first time we took our children out of the Northwest Territories they had to have the ceremonial picture beside that particular sign. Now, if you’re going to tear it down, take it down and put up a new sign, I suggest that there will be people interested in buying that. Put it on line, auction it off, sell it to the highest bidder. There’s another revenue opportunity for the department.
I think that we have lots of fond memories of our association with the polar bear. The many debates over the trademark, who owned the trademark, whether the bear should be three-legged, four-legged. I’m happy to have a polar bear diamond on my hand here. It’s a great trademark.
Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. The honourable Member for Tu Nedhe, Mr. Beaulieu.
