Debates of May 11, 2007 (day 5)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions this morning are for Mr. Menicoche, the Minister of Transportation, about the urgent fuel situation at the Yellowknife Airport. Mr. Speaker, I have been advised by some of our airline carriers, one which supplies fixed wing scheduled charter service, that his company is now on rationing. He has been reduced from normal fuel consumption of about 24,000 litres a day to 7,600. He has been cut back by two-thirds. One helicopter company is rationed to only 400 litres of fuel a day. Mr. Speaker, I am advised that one of the two fuel suppliers at the Yellowknife Airport will by dry by Sunday morning. In fact, some companies are using fuel caches owned by their own customers to try to stay flying.

Mr. Speaker, the Minister yesterday advised the Assembly that the only contingency plan that he had in place was for companies to fly to Hay River, a 250 mile detour to fuel up. I talked to one of the mines, a representative of one of the mines this morning. This is costing them thousands of dollars a day, let alone the inconvenience. Mr. Speaker, I wonder if the Minister really realizes the significance and the urgency of the situation. What steps is the department taking, Mr. Speaker, to ensure adequate fuel supplies are available in Yellowknife in this urgent and crisis situation?

Thank you, Mr. Braden. The honourable Minister of Transportation, Mr. Menicoche.

Return To Question 66-15(6): Aviation Fuel Shortage At The Yellowknife Airport

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The department is closely monitoring the situation. As I indicated yesterday, we are not responsible for supply and monitoring the supply of aviation fuel. However, once again, because of our road shutting down early, it is becoming an imminent situation that we are going to have to monitor. I am not too sure who is doing the rationing. It is not a government initiative. I am sure it is the suppliers trying to watch out for all of their customers that are out there. Once again, Mr. Speaker, the positive light on this is that the ferry is going to be coming in on Monday. Suppliers are aware of it. They have staged trucks at the landing for the first trip that does cross at the Providence crossing. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. Supplementary, Mr. Braden.

Supplementary To Question 66-15(6): Aviation Fuel Shortage At The Yellowknife Airport

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I certainly hope we can all count on the optimism that the Minister is projecting about a Monday service date. Mr. Speaker, in some other discussions with folks on this issue, I was told that the Mackenzie River was indeed clear of ice yesterday and could have accepted the…The boat could have been in service very plainly, but we ran into apparently some issues regarding maintenance or inspection of the boat. Could the Minister advise why the Merv Hardie ferry was not in the water yesterday?

Thank you, Mr. Braden. Mr. Menicoche.

Further Return To Question 66-15(6): Aviation Fuel Shortage At The Yellowknife Airport

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am not quite sure where the Member is getting his information, but the ice from Beaver Lake, which is a huge consideration for the ferry operations around Fort Providence, has always been taken into consideration. Just yesterday, that ice let go, so I don’t believe that the river was free of ice where we could have launched our ship, Mr. Speaker. Thank you very much.

Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. Supplementary, Mr. Braden.

Supplementary To Question 66-15(6): Aviation Fuel Shortage At The Yellowknife Airport

Mr. Speaker, other information I have does indeed indicate that there have been delays in maintenance on the boat and getting it ready to launch. In fact, that has been a factor in the delay in getting the Merv Hardie ferry in the water. Can the Minister confirm that there have been maintenance issues that have delayed the launch of the ferry service this spring, Mr. Speaker?

Thank you, Mr. Braden. Mr. Menicoche.

Further Return To Question 66-15(6): Aviation Fuel Shortage At The Yellowknife Airport

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. There have been some maintenance issues that have to be addressed on the ferry that is currently ongoing. We are proceeding as expeditiously as we can to get the ferry ready for this shipping season. I just might want to add that, even with the ferry running on Monday, that is well ahead of schedule. Every effort is being made to put the ferry in early. I can’t make any commitments on that other than the expected date is still Monday. We are aware of the new pressing situation, the lack of aviation fuel and the safe transportation of our people of the North and we'll try to address that the best we can, Mr. Speaker. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. Time for question period has expired; however, I'll allow the Member one last supplementary question. Mr. Braden.

Supplementary To Question 66-15(6): Aviation Fuel Shortage At The Yellowknife Airport

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Minister is quite correct; the service will hopefully be restored much earlier than usual. But the reality is, it's too late for the fuel suppliers here in the Yellowknife region. Mr. Speaker, the Minister has acknowledged there are indeed maintenance issues, and it's starting to think the Merv Hardie has been out of the water for more than four months now, but here we are at the cusp of the season and we're still fixing it. Mr. Speaker, what is the nature of the mechanical and maintenance issues with the Merv Hardie and how long is it going to take them to repair it?

Thank you, Mr. Braden. Mr. Menicoche.

Further Return To Question 66-15(6): Aviation Fuel Shortage At The Yellowknife Airport

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. It's just a timing issue, Mr. Speaker. I believe we have enough time to repair the ferry this weekend and have it in the water running for the travelling public by 6:00 a.m. Monday. However, with the new pressing situation of the shortage of aviation fuel, the trucks and the tankers will be given priority when the ferry is ready to run. Transportation is closely monitoring the situation and will provide a travel advisory to pilots and the aviation industry if it really gets severely critical, Mr. Speaker. Mahsi.