Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to ask the Minister of Transportation some questions and he will be pleased to know it won’t be on Highway No. 7.
The travellers that go to Fort Simpson and stop at the airport and do have cell phones have approached me to see if there is a way we can extend the cell phone service from Fort Simpson out to the airport. The residents have raised that with me as a safety concern for medevacs, et cetera. It’s going to require an expenditure -- I’ve done some research on it -- up to about $200,000. I’d like to ask the Minister if his department is willing to consider or examine a business case for establishing extended cell phone service out to the Fort Simpson Airport. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. The honourable Minister of Transportation, Mr. Michael McLeod.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I don’t believe that there have been any formal requests through our department to look at expanding the cell phone services. It’s not an area that we, as Transportation, would be responsible for. We worked, however, with other organizations such as the Aboriginal Sport Circle and other people who want to see that service expanded, even in the city of Yellowknife. They’ve come forward and accessed program dollars from, I believe, federal coffers and been able to put boosters and things of that nature so service is available at the airport.
I don’t believe we have had a request. We certainly haven’t reviewed it at my level. Thank you.
I did do some research on it and boosting the signal, we just need a weak signal, boosting the signal is actually an $800 investment for the signal booster. I think the process here is now we need a tower to put that booster on, that’s where the bigger costs come in. Can the Minister work with his Cabinet colleagues to see how the government can support such an expenditure to increase the signal towards the Fort Simpson Airport? Thank you.
We certainly can engage with the folks that provide the service in Fort Simpson to see what is required and to see what we have in terms of inventory that may be suitable for an expansion or to allow for the booster to be mounted on.
Right at this point we don’t have it in our budget to buy a tower. Having said that, I’m not sure we would invest in a tower that involves communications. I can certainly commit to the Member that I will have a discussion with my officials and we’ll maybe sit down with the Member and get whatever information he’s got to have that discussion with NorthwesTel or whoever the provider is in Fort Simpson.
I’m pleased that the Minister is willing to at least sit down, engage in discussion, and, he’s right, there may be some possibility if there is some inventory around. I’m not sure what size of tower is needed but, once again, if the Minister would follow up with his officials, make contact with NorthwesTel to see how we can make this a reality for the safe travelling of the public in Fort Simpson and travellers flying into Fort Simpson.
I think I already committed to doing that. I’ll say it again; we will follow up with the Member and gather the information that we think is required and relevant to the situation, and get back to the Member.
Thank you, Mr. McLeod. The honourable Member for Weledeh, Mr. Bromley.
