Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, earlier I made a statement on my constituents raising their concerns on speeding on the Deh Cho Bridge and, of course, we are all concerned about public safety. My questions are to the Minister of Infrastructure: can the Minister explain the role of departmental motor vehicle officers in enforcement of traffic laws, including speeding laws? Mahsi.
Masi. Minister of Infrastructure.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The division that looks after the highways, and highway patrol in particular, has a couple of roles that they follow. One of them is to follow the weight restrictions of the highway and particularly around the heavy truck traffic and how that has to be patrolled and followed by the heavy truck traffic in the Northwest Territories. They also do patrols out on the highway systems in the Northwest Territories. They have authority to stop heavy truck traffic, but they do not have the authority to stop civilian traffic for speeding. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, how do the department and its motor vehicle officers work with the RCMP to maximize enforcement coverage?
This question has been raised in the House a number of times, especially around the Ingraham Trail. As we have stated in this House, I have said that we worked with all people. Let's use the Ingraham Trail for an example. We work with the City of Yellowknife, the RCMP, and the highway patrol, and the residents on the Ingraham Trail. In this situation that the Member is talking about here today around the Deh Cho Bridge, we would be working and coordinating particularly with the RCMP on what they can do to help increase patrols around the Deh Cho Bridge and what additional resources they can do to enforce the speeding on the Deh Cho Bridge. We would probably also reach out to the community, as well.
Obviously, everybody is concerned about public safety, especially at this time of the year. It is winter. We have lots of traffic, a lot of big semi trucks with their heavy loads travelling as far as Edmonton. How will the department tackle this specific road safety concern and enforcement issues inherent to the winter road commercial trucking season, especially around the Deh Cho Bridge?
There are a couple of things that I can answer. I will answer them all. The Ingraham Trail, we had our recent meetings and followed up with the City of Yellowknife and the RCMP and the highways divisions. Around the Deh Cho Bridge, the Member has sent me an email on this particular issue. I have already reached out to the RCMP's traffic divisions to see if they can provide additional resources to this. I have also asked the department, ourselves. We have directed the highway patrol to provide a presence of enforcement in this area as well.
Masi. Oral questions. Member for Deh Cho.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, will the Minister commit at least, at the start and end of the trucking season, to do speeding enforcement exercises, more than likely involving our resources, including the RCMP, during the start and end of the trucking season? Mahsi.
At the beginning of every winter road, we take safety as the number one priority, and the Member's point is well-noted. One of the things that I have asked the department already to do is look at engineered solutions, particularly around the Deh Cho Bridge, as safety is a priority, and we want to protect this asset, as well as the residents of the Northwest Territories travelling in the public.
I have asked the department to look at what it would take to install one of the posted speed limit signs that is permanently mounted there, with the radar one that tells you your speed when you are pulling up to the bridge. We are going to have a look and see if we have some resources within our Highway Safety Fund to help facilitate that. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Oral questions. Member for Hay River North.
