Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions are also for the Minister of Infrastructure. Can the Minister please tell me why the air support for the fires near Hay River and the KFN are not utilizing the Fort Smith Airport for the efforts? It's my understanding that they are unable to land there and instead come to Yellowknife. Thank you.
Thank you, Member for Great Slave. Minister responsible for Infrastructure.
Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I'm not aware of that operational detail however I can look into it and get back to the Member. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, but I'm sure the Minister is aware of the fact that the repaving done by her department in the last while has resulted in a ridge in the runway that does not allow for the Electras to land. Could the Minister speak to that, please? Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I'm not aware. Is the Member speaking about the Fort Smith Airport; I just need clarification. I don't feel like that question was clarified. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I will check Hansard later but I'm pretty sure I said Fort Smith. Mr. Speaker, I'll just be blunt.
I know that the Fort Smith resurfacing of the pavement did not go properly and the airport is now not fully useable by airplanes supporting the fire efforts. Could the Minister please comment on whether or not she knows about this and if she doesn't, why she doesn't know about it? Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the Fort Smith runway did have some work done. You know, we had questions from the Member from Thebacha asking questions on the Fort Smith. The Fort Smith Airport is fine. You know, there are airplanes that can land there. I'm not very specific to which airplane the Member is speaking of. Thank you.
Thank you, Minister. Final supplementary. Member for Great Slave.
Mr. Speaker, I think it needs to be said this Minister is completely unaware of what is going on in her department. This is a resurfacing issue with the contractor that I've been made aware of by several people. So I'm unable to understand why the Minister would not be aware of this herself, and I have to question whether or not this is just deflection. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I do want to let the Member know that there were minor deficiencies in the apron which has been addressed. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Minister. Member for Frame Lake.
Mr. Speaker, I rise on a Point of Order. The Member is imputing motives on the part of the Minister and I just don't accept that as proper conduct in the House. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you. Order. Thank you, Member for Frame Lake. We'll take a short recess. Thank you.
SHORT RECESS
Colleagues, we will continue. The Member for Frame Lake rose on a Point of Order stating that the Member for Great Slave was imputing motives to a Member. Rule 3.2(3) states that the Speaker will call a Member to order if they make allegations against another Member or imputes false or hidden motives to another Member. I have reviewed the video of the exchange and noted that the Member said, I have to question whether or not this is deflection.
The guidelines for oral questions, in the rules, notes that questions should deal with a matter reasonably assumed to be within the present knowledge of the Minister and not to be an argument or contains interference, imputes motives, or casts dispersions upon any person. In this case, the Member's comments were out of order. The comments were not consistent with the rules, and they did cause disorder in the House resulting in a Point of Order, and I will ask the Member for Great Slave to withdraw her remarks. Member for Great Slave.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, it was not my intent to impugn any motive on anyone. I think what you heard today was the frustration of a lack of answers that we get from Cabinet. It is not this time only, it is continuous, and I do apologize. I will withdraw that question to the Minister however I do not believe my intent was of out of order here. I think we should be allowed to have political debate and people need to be able to hear the truth. Thank you.
Thank you, Member for Great Slave. We do have a ruling, and I ask you to withdraw the remarks. Thank you. So do you withdraw the remarks?
I said that in the statement already.
But then you're questioning the Point of Order?
I don't understand. I stated that I withdrew my remark, so.
Member for Great Slave, you will have to withdraw your remarks and apologize and not question the ruling. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I apologize and withdraw my remarks to this amazing Minister. Thank you.
SHORT RECESS
Order. Colleagues, we will continue. Member for Great Slave, you're not apologizing to the Minister; you're apologizing to this House. And whether you agree with the ruling or not, please be respectful to the Members and also to the residents of the Northwest Territories. So I'll give you one final opportunity to apologize and I'll continue. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I apologize to you for disorder in this House, and I apologize to the House for my comments, and I withdraw them. Thank you.
Thank you, Member for Great Slave. Oral questions. Member for Frame Lake.
