General comments. Mr. Ningark.
Debates of Nov. 25th, 1992
Topics
Committee Motion 16-12(3): To Adopt Recommendation No. 20
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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Committee Motion 16-12(3): To Adopt Recommendation No. 20
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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John Ningark Natilikmiot
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, I would like to ask the Minister for Transportation, as the Minister is aware, during the summer, we have had the Coast Guard in Pelly Bay doing a hydrographic survey of the waterways into the community. I know this is maybe premature, but what is the status of this preliminary survey? Has the Minister been approached by the Coast Guards of Canada on the findings? Thank you.
Committee Motion 16-12(3): To Adopt Recommendation No. 20
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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Committee Motion 16-12(3): To Adopt Recommendation No. 20
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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![Tony Whitford](/media/CACHE/images/polpics/11-tony-whitford/105f4ea7b52656a29f4630008629dd25.jpg)
Tony Whitford Yellowknife South
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The work that was done this summer was done through the use of electronic depth sounders and is very detailed. It is digital and is coded onto tapes. Those tapes are being edited now to be put onto paper into configurations and contours. I have yet to see the map of the bottom of Pelly Bay, but my understanding, Mr. Chairman, is that the work is progressing well and it will be ready shortly. This does take some time to interpret all of the findings that were made. The preliminary indications that the department has on the Pelly Bay marine-way are very positive. There are channels there that our boats and ships are able to get into and close enough to the shore. We just have to see the hard copy of it, but the preliminary information we have is very positive and is coming along well. As soon as I get it, I will get the information to the Member.
Committee Motion 16-12(3): To Adopt Recommendation No. 20
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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Committee Motion 16-12(3): To Adopt Recommendation No. 20
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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John Ningark Natilikmiot
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, the people in the east are getting very conscientious about government operations. People are saying to me that they are very aware of existing roads in the west that are being paved, where we do not even have access roads to hunting areas that would facilitate all- terrain vehicles. Now I am wondering if the Minister has any plans in the future to build a trail to hunting areas? Thank you.
Committee Motion 16-12(3): To Adopt Recommendation No. 20
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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Committee Motion 16-12(3): To Adopt Recommendation No. 20
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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![Tony Whitford](/media/CACHE/images/polpics/11-tony-whitford/105f4ea7b52656a29f4630008629dd25.jpg)
Tony Whitford Yellowknife South
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Not specifically for the Member's community. I am not sure whether he is referring to Pelly Bay, but there is money under the community access fund to provide some assistance to communities to build a road to hunting areas. It is not a great deal of money but it is money that is available upon submission of a proposal to our department, and through M.A.C.A., to access funds to make that kind of a road. There is not that much money in the big scheme of things. The dollar amount is not a lot, but there is enough there to meet most of the needs that have come forward so far.
Committee Motion 16-12(3): To Adopt Recommendation No. 20
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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Committee Motion 16-12(3): To Adopt Recommendation No. 20
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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Silas Arngna'naaq Kivallivik
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I have similar comments to those that Mr. Ningark just made. In the case of the communities that I represent, Baker Lake and Arviat have talked about various access roads in those communities, not necessarily for hunting areas but for other purposes which relate to the municipalities. Arviat needs an access road for their water supply, which I think could be used also as roads for hunters. As illustrated by a number of Members from the east, the infrastructure we have in the east is very limited at this point. I think that the request of each of these communities to build access roads are needed by the communities and by the people. I speak especially for the hunters who have very limited resources, these are people who really do need assistance. I would like to point out to the Minister that there are concerns, there are requests for these very basic infrastructures, and we are not asking to build roads to create paved roads, but basic roads that are needed in the communities in the east. I think that we, as Members from the east, are bringing those concerns out more and more. I just wanted to re-iterate that. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Committee Motion 16-12(3): To Adopt Recommendation No. 20
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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Committee Motion 16-12(3): To Adopt Recommendation No. 20
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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![Henry Zoe](/media/CACHE/images/polpics/11-henry-zoe/f806264046054a2efaef303b2779d5bf.jpg)
Henry Zoe North Slave
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, our government has always been saying that we should be improving our economy in the territories. If we are going to be making improvements in the economy, then I think that the improvements in public industry and transportation infrastructure is the key to economic development in the
territories, particularly in the disadvantaged communities. Mr. Chairman, the government conducted three reports pertaining to that. The interdependence of transportation and economic development were made very clear in the three government studies and reports. One of them was in the Special Committee on Northern Economy's final report called "Building our Economic Future." The other one was done by the Department of Economic Development and Tourism Report called "Building on Strengths" and the last one is called "A Community Based Approach" and the Department of Transportation's own N.W.T. transportation strategy. Now those reports surely tell our government that we have got to have this basic transportation structure in place, if we are going to benefit and improve our economy as a whole. Now to me it appears that our government and the Minister responsible for Transportation, do not keep this in mind when they are doing these types of things in the capital program. These disadvantaged communities need to be listened to. Without the proper infrastructure in place in the area of transportation, those communities will not get anywhere. Their local economy will not grow and they will be way behind. We need to have transportation infrastructure in place or else the whole territories will not grow. This is why I have been emphasizing the need to put more money in these areas in terms of roads, airport facilities and highways. I hope the Minister responsible will read those reports I mentioned so that he has a better understanding as to the importance of a transportation infrastructure if we are going to improve our economy in the Northwest Territories.
Mr. Chairman, I am not going to get into long general comments pertaining to Transportation. I wanted to say this so that the Minister could have a better understanding of the importance of transportation infrastructure in the Northwest Territories. Thank you.
Committee Motion 16-12(3): To Adopt Recommendation No. 20
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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Committee Motion 16-12(3): To Adopt Recommendation No. 20
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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John Ningark Natilikmiot
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. One of the dominant issues that has been brought to my attention every time I visit Gjoa Haven, and has been an issue since I became a Member of this Assembly, is the community has been requesting that the department build a road to 25 Mile Lake. Gjoa Haven is on an island and access to hunting areas is not that good. Gjoa Haven is one of the fastest growing communities within the territories. I would like to know if the Minister has instructed his department to assess the situation and consult with the community? Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Committee Motion 16-12(3): To Adopt Recommendation No. 20
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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Committee Motion 16-12(3): To Adopt Recommendation No. 20
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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![Tony Whitford](/media/CACHE/images/polpics/11-tony-whitford/105f4ea7b52656a29f4630008629dd25.jpg)
Tony Whitford Yellowknife South
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I am not up-to-date on the specifics of that road. I am aware of it. I am aware of the community's needs. As I said earlier there is money available to assist in community access. These funds are available to assist a community to put a road out to an area that would be deemed hunting or fishing and that would benefit the community. It is not an entirely government funded program. The community is required to contribute. I am not sure whether it would be in time or money, but somehow they are expected to make contributions. The Department of Transportation does make contributions under its Community Access Program.
There are a number of requests which have come forward and I am keenly aware of them. I hear what the Members are saying about Arctic communities which do not have major highways and how important roads to hunting and fishing areas are. In our discussions with department officials we are going to be collecting all of these requests. There is a limited amount of money involved and I would imagine that we would have to set certain priorities and some timetables on assisting communities. We need not only a verbal request, but written materials, a proposal, put forward by the community to advise the department on how this is to be accomplished.
I think we would be available to assist in any way that we can. We will not do anything until we get a letter. There are a lot of requests and we need to have some specifics and I think we stack them up against other needs. We are very keenly aware of the needs of this program and wish we had more money in it to account for all of the requests. Yes, we certainly will be able to review all of these requests for community access roads.
Committee Motion 16-12(3): To Adopt Recommendation No. 20
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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Committee Motion 16-12(3): To Adopt Recommendation No. 20
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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John Ningark Natilikmiot
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I would like to thank the Minister for recognizing that there is a need, and for understanding that there is a provision within the Department of Transportation to give some funding to the communities in need in this area of transportation. I will be conveying this message to the community. Thank you.
Committee Motion 16-12(3): To Adopt Recommendation No. 20
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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Committee Motion 16-12(3): To Adopt Recommendation No. 20
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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Samuel Gargan Deh Cho
Mr. Chairman, I would like to remind the Minister that I have been listening to the discussions on money. The federal government is looking at making transportation one of their priorities. I think it is also looking at the allocation of money to start that process. I hope that the Minister is keeping tabs on the progress which is being made so that we do not lose that entirely on this new initiative which the federal government is looking at.
The other thing is that a lot of the transportation infrastructure that is in place, even in my own area, and in both the western and eastern Arctic is a result of the armies being here in the Northwest Territories. There were roads to and past Fort Providence as well as to Fort Simpson.
Most of the airports were built by the army. A lot of the airports which were built were as a result of D.E.W. line sites. I realize the importance to eastern Arctic communities and support them fully in ensuring that they get their fair share of the dollars. In the western Arctic where there are a lot of roads that require maintenance, this is a priority for us, and I hope that we have the support of Members on this.
I am still having problems with regard to road construction and the monitoring of employment; local employment as opposed to southern employment. Last year during the paving phase of some of the roads in my constituency they had Island Paving. They are not a northern construction company. It was sub-contracted. The work was given to a northern firm, but most of the work was still done by southern contractors because the equipment is not here to do the work. I would hope that the Minister gives an opportunity for northern contractors to purchase equipment so that they can do all the work themselves. Thank you.
Committee Motion 16-12(3): To Adopt Recommendation No. 20
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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![The Chair](/media/CACHE/images/polpics/15-charles-dent/4bb9e502208ef37f0a3edb5cda4065ca.jpg)
The Chair Charles Dent
General comments? Does this committee agree that we are ready to examine detail?
Committee Motion 16-12(3): To Adopt Recommendation No. 20
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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Some Hon. Members
Agreed.
---Agreed
Committee Motion 16-12(3): To Adopt Recommendation No. 20
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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Committee Motion 16-12(3): To Adopt Recommendation No. 20
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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Committee Motion 16-12(3): To Adopt Recommendation No. 20
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 133