Debates of August 21, 2007 (day 14)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am hearing from RVers and others who have been bottoming out on the Highway No. 3’s dips and ruts. My concerns are twofold. Firstly, this is a newly paved road. I don’t think we should be experiencing these kinds of problems so soon after completion. Secondly, I am concerned about what is being done to our tourism industry image. RVers are in contact with each other about facilities and road conditions. It is a huge community, Mr. Speaker. We would do well to pay attention to their concerns. The Japanese are being turned away from Canada and they are looking elsewhere for vacations. Can we afford to turn away the RVers too? I am concerned about the poor highway conditions of Highway No. 3 between Yellowknife and Behchoko. I don’t accept climate change as the excuse that they keep flogging. The same climate conditions happen on both sides of Behchoko on Highway No. 3, but I am not sure what they are doing about it because the answers addressing the dips seem to be dipless or foolish.

Mr. Speaker, ITI document Tourism 2010 mentions the need to provide world-class services if the NWT wants to move forward by tracking a vibrant tourist community. The older RV group is becoming an increasingly dominant group of tourists. They form what ITI calls the general touring group. They spent over $6 million in the NWT in 2004 and 2005. More and more baby boomers are retiring and taking that lifelong dream of travelling all around Canada. This is a booming industry. However, with the cost of fuel and the condition of Highway No. 3, Mr. Speaker, what are we doing to attract them? Mr. Speaker, I am not sure I am prepared to turn away $6 million of tourism revenue, new money for opportunity for northern businesses or tourism operators. I would certainly hope that the Minister of Transportation would feel the same.

Mr. Speaker, a year ago we had the launch of what was called the completion of Highway No. 3. I certainly hope no one had a little sign out there that said mission accomplished, because we are going to have to go back and airbrush that photo because this highway needs a lot more work. We need a plan to start fixing it. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause