Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. My Member's statement was on extending the cellphone range outside of the municipalities. It was appropriate that the MACA Minister updated us on the 911 service to the Northwest Territories. My reference to the Minister of Ho-Ho-Ho, it is appropriate that the Minister is wearing a Christmas-themed sweater. Also, the fact that with the housing questions, she did answer "yes" a couple of times. I believe that the Minister is on a roll.
The cellphone range service is a concern to our communities. I think it goes right across the whole territory, too, because we are only allowed the service within the municipality. The range is not very far there. We have lots of highway travel. We have from Providence to Yellowknife and Hay River to Fort Smith, and both of those have a large bison population that traverse the highway system. We have had accidents on those highways many times. Also, too, to cover the Dempster Highway, which is a long, forlorn highway that comes up from the Yukon, if people are stuck or get into accidents or anything, they will have some way to communicate with someone along the highway.
And I believe 911 service, you had a partner. I don't know if it was Northwestel. You had a partner, anyways, who delivered the program. I believe the NWT would be pleased with the increased range. My question to the Minister is: does the department have an initiative in the works to see if that cellphone service range is extended beyond municipal boundaries? Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.
Good Member's statement. Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you to the Member for his comments. The program is quite new, and we have just established and implemented it. It went live this year. As a part of the implementation of the Northwest Territories 911 service, the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs will continue to work in partnership with the GNWT departments to explore opportunities for future expansion of cellular services along the territorial highways. The GNWT has highlighted increased cellular service along the major roads and highways as a priority to the CRTC. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
The Minister must remember I said lots of nice things about her today. My question is: can the Minister provide a timeline as to tasks undertaken to enable this service coming into being in the very near future?
I am sorry, but I don't have a timeline right now. The program is so new that I can't make a commitment as to when the expansion or further to the program.
Thank you, Minister. Oral questions. Member for Yellowknife North.
