Debates of November 29, 2007 (day 5)

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I just would like to follow up to questions on my Member’s statement to the Minister of Transportation, just with respect to, and also support, the Member from Mackenzie Delta’s idea of pursuing a territorial highway strategy which includes chipsealing of all our highways. I just would like to ask the Minister what exists in our current strategy. Does it include a movement towards chipsealing of all our territorial highways? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. The honourable Minister responsible for Transportation, Mr. Yakeleya.

Return To Question 67-16(1): Territorial Strategy For Highway Surfaces

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in our long term, eventually in the long term of highways in the Northwest Territories, we certainly want to look at communities that do not have highways. I mean, right now we’re talking about highways on existing facilities and existing roads. So in the long term, certainly we do have the funds, we have the support from other sources of funding who would look at highways that do require good roads and good drainage and reconstruction of chipsealing. We also have to look at communities and regions that do not have a highway. So we certainly have to start balancing our investment across the North. Mr. Speaker, certainly that’s something that the department is open to and the amount of resources we have, we just have now looking at our own existing dollars that do have paved highways right here.

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. Supplementary, Mr. Menicoche.

Supplementary To Question 67-16(1): Territorial Strategy For Highway Surfaces

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Well, we could probably debate if we could have 2,000 kilometres of bad road or 600 kilometres of good road where we allocate our expenses. But we are freeing up some money by not spending money on Highway No. 4 and I’d like to ask the Minister, what is our strategy, and if chipsealing all our territorial highways can and will be part of it? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. Mr. Yakeleya.

Further Return To Question 67-16(1): Territorial Strategy For Highway Surfaces

Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I also say, you know, we can have bad roads and existing roads, but some regions have no roads. So I’d like to look at that also in terms of how we do our investments of highway strategies in the Northwest Territories. Certainly, we’ll continue to improve what we have in the Northwest Territories in terms of a highway. There will be some areas that we need to do some reconstruction. We need to do some dust control. We need to do some further maintenance on some of the paved roads. Certainly, providing that we get the support from the House here and working with committee, we’ll certainly look at other areas that if it requires chipsealing in some of the areas. However, we’re going through the process and hopefully we’re going to have that discussion with committee.

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. Supplementary, Mr. Menicoche.

Supplementary To Question 67-16(1): Territorial Strategy For Highway Surfaces

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I was asking the Minister that we do have existing roads that do need improvement and I’d like to ask the Minister, are we developing a territorial strategy? I just want to point out as well there, Mr. Speaker, if you allow me, that the Minister is talking about new highways and building new roads, but that’s the mandate of the federal government. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. Mr. Yakeleya.

Further Return To Question 67-16(1): Territorial Strategy For Highway Surfaces

Thank you. I really thank the Member, because I certainly like to be reminded that the federal government has a part here. Similar to the parts that now the regions that do have highways, that certainly was the federal government’s responsibility, but I’m certainly looking forward to committee work, looking forward to my department in terms of long-term strategy in terms of chipsealing existing roads in the Northwest Territories. Again, I need to work with my department. I certainly like to welcome working with committee in terms of investing in our existing roads in terms of how we see that in the future.

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. Final supplementary, Mr. Menicoche.

Supplementary To Question 67-16(1): Territorial Strategy For Highway Surfaces

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I’d just like to point out to the Minister that if he moves towards a territorial strategy of chipsealing all our roads, I don’t think he’ll have very much objection if he moves this in the House and I’d like him to consider that and what stages can he do that, Mr. Speaker. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. Mr. Yakeleya.

Further Return To Question 67-16(1): Territorial Strategy For Highway Surfaces

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I certainly would rely on the Member’s support when we started looking at these types of a strategy. However, Mr. Speaker, I need to remind the Members, and remind the people in the Northwest Territories, that we need to continue investing down the Mackenzie Valley in terms of all our infrastructure and sometime we need to go back to the very basics of looking at the regions that do not have any type of all-weather road into the communities. However, I will keep that in mind when we come to that discussion when we have our regular meetings with committee in terms of putting together our plans and our strategies for the North.