Masi, Mr. Speaker. [Translation] Cell phones, Mr. Speaker. I spoke earlier in my Member's statement about the cell phone services between Behchoko and Yellowknife. We have no access to cell phone services between Behchoko and Yellowknife. Again, this is an ongoing issue because there have been some issues happening between Yellowknife and Behchoko. [End of translation]
[Microphone turned off] ...asked about safety when I asked about the summer students, so I will continue with the safety avenue on Highway No. 3. Is the Minister of Finance aware of the number of people or of cars and trucks passing back and forth daily between Behchoko and Yellowknife? I'm just wondering if she has travelled Highway No. 3 lately. Masi, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Member for Monfwi. Minister of Finance.
Mr. Speaker, I can say certainly, in the last eight months or so, I have not travelled that road, but in my past life, for some 10 years, I used to be on that road quite regularly, attending court in Behchoko. I am well aware that there are some spots where there simply is no coverage, and it's a safety risk. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I'm glad that the Minister identified it as a safety risk between Rae Junction and Yellowknife. From a risk management point of view, what can the Minister tell us about the danger of leaving commuters and truckers without cell coverage along such an important stretch of the highway? We're talking about the safety of our NWT citizens.
I am not a risk analyst, and I'm not going to pretend to provide to the House or to the people who are on that highway my own personal views on what is or isn't a risk or how much of a risk it is, but I do acknowledge the point that's being made that there are people on that highway. It's a stretch of highway that, while frequently travelled, still has lots of parts where there are risks in terms of it being a highway. There can be an accident, and then there is maybe no one there coming along who has a phone or a satellite phone. I certainly acknowledge that that's a reality and that there are some obvious risks associated.
The next question I have is: would the Minister commit to calling Northwestel to convince the company to provide critical cell phone coverage that commuters and truckers need on the stretch of highway? One would assume that she has clout over them as the Government of the Northwest Territories is their biggest customer.
I am certainly more than happy to phone Northwestel and have some engagement with them. In fact, I do think that that's an easy "yes." As far as what I can or can't convince a private corporation to do, I'm not going to be in a position to say "yes" or to make any commitment in that regard. Certainly, they are an important private sector partner in the Northwest Territories, and I'm sure they will want to have discussions and engagements with the GNWT.
Thank you, Minister. Oral questions. Member for Monfwi.
Masi, Mr. Speaker. In that case, I'd like to ask this government what their action will be on this particular subject. I was copied on a letter to the Minister of Infrastructure and ECE the other day, June 1st or 2nd, from both the chief of Behchoko and Whati in full support of this cell phone coverage in that area. If Northwestel won't do it, would the Minister of Infrastructure or Finance, in combination of both departments, commit to funding the extension of cell coverage to the Highway No. 3 corridor between Behchoko and Yellowknife? It is really badly needed now, Mr. Speaker. Masi.
There are three priority needs that are related to broadband and telecoms that have already been identified from the GNWT. The 50 and 10 megabytes per second, that's the speed which has been spoken recently in the House; the importance of resiliency and redundancy in our networks which hasn't come up here but has certainly come up in the past in the House; but the third one is cell coverage. I certainly want the Member to know that I know that this is a priority. It's already a priority within my department. As far as providing that as a service that we have to increase the ability to have better cell coverage, I'm not in a position to say right now what we're going to do, but it's almost becoming a bit of a theme week for me that I hadn't expected. It's very clear that we're going to have to have a very clear plan to achieve those three goals. If ever it wasn't clear, then COVID-19 has made it very clear now how important those things are to being connected, whether it's education, health, or otherwise. Mr. Speaker, I certainly do expect that I will be making faster progress on this than maybe what would have happened before COVID. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Minister. Oral questions. Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes.
