This is page numbers 41 - 61 of the Hansard for the 13th Assembly, 1st Session. The original version can be accessed on the Legislative Assembly's website or by contacting the Legislative Assembly Library. The word of the day was communities.

Topics

Jake Ootes

Jake Ootes Yellowknife Centre

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is directed to the Minister of Finance. The Government of the Northwest Territories' policy on affirmative action is subject to review during this year. A multi-departmental task force, under the direction of a steering committee comprised of deputy ministers and regional directors, was given the responsibility of doing the policy review. The review's final purpose was to examine what the future direction and implementation of the affirmative action policy should be.

Upon completion, the findings of the review were to be forwarded to Cabinet. Can the Minister of Finance advise when the findings will be forwarded to Cabinet?

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

The Minister of Finance, Mr. Todd.

Return To Question 14-13(1): Results Of Affirmative Action Policy Review
Question 14-13(1): Results Of Affirmative Action Policy Review
Item 6: Oral Questions

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John Todd Keewatin Central

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yes, there was an internal review done by the FMB. I haven't had an opportunity to read their report. I understand that it will be on my desk later on this afternoon. Once I've read it, I'll present it to Cabinet and then we'll be able to table it in the House during the next session. Thank you.

Return To Question 14-13(1): Results Of Affirmative Action Policy Review
Question 14-13(1): Results Of Affirmative Action Policy Review
Item 6: Oral Questions

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The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Thank you. Item 6, oral questions. Mr. Rabesca.

Question 15-13(1): Review Of Mackenzie Highway Maintenance
Item 6: Oral Questions

December 13th, 1995

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James Rabesca North Slave

Mr. Speaker, in my Member's statement, I mentioned something to do with transportation on highways. Mr. Speaker, many of us have already heard my concerns about dangerous road conditions between Rae Edzo and Yellowknife. My question to the Minister is, is he aware of the problem. Mr. Speaker, in light of the high number of accidents and fatalities on the highway between Rae Edzo and Yellowknife, my question to the Minister is will he agree to review the adequacy of the maintenance on this heavily travelled stretch of highway.

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Thank you. The Minister responsible for Transportation, Mr. Antoine.

Return To Question 15-13(1): Review Of Mackenzie Highway Maintenance
Question 15-13(1): Review Of Mackenzie Highway Maintenance
Item 6: Oral Questions

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Jim Antoine Nahendeh

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. I'm very aware of that stretch of road. In fact, I just drove back from Fort Simpson last Sunday when it was about 45 below so I know the conditions of the road very well. I agree with the honourable Member. The department is briefing me on the conditions of the road and once the department gets me the information about what levels of maintenance are there, I will get back to the Member with that information. Thank you.

Return To Question 15-13(1): Review Of Mackenzie Highway Maintenance
Question 15-13(1): Review Of Mackenzie Highway Maintenance
Item 6: Oral Questions

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The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Thank you. Item 6, oral questions, supplementary. Mr. Rabesca.

Supplementary To Question 15-13(1): Review Of Mackenzie Highway Maintenance
Question 15-13(1): Review Of Mackenzie Highway Maintenance
Item 6: Oral Questions

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James Rabesca North Slave

Mr. Speaker, my constituency is not aware of anyone patrolling the Rae-Yellowknife highway to ensure the accidents are quickly attended or that drivers and passengers are not waiting on the highway during the cold winter months. My question to the Minister is is there a highway patrol officer in his department who regularly checks for breakdowns and maintenance on the road between Rae and Yellowknife.

Supplementary To Question 15-13(1): Review Of Mackenzie Highway Maintenance
Question 15-13(1): Review Of Mackenzie Highway Maintenance
Item 6: Oral Questions

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The Speaker Samuel Gargan

That's a new question. Mr. Antoine.

Further Return To Question 15-13(1): Review Of Mackenzie Highway Maintenance
Question 15-13(1): Review Of Mackenzie Highway Maintenance
Item 6: Oral Questions

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Jim Antoine Nahendeh

Thank you, again, Mr. Speaker. The highway patrol is supposed to be on that stretch of road, as everybody should know, and the Speaker knows about the situation very well, from driving this road as well. In the past they've been there. If the Member is saying that they are not there, then I'll check into that situation and get back to the Member.

Further Return To Question 15-13(1): Review Of Mackenzie Highway Maintenance
Question 15-13(1): Review Of Mackenzie Highway Maintenance
Item 6: Oral Questions

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The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Thank you, Mr. Antoine. Item 6, oral questions. Supplementary, Mr. Rabesca.

Supplementary To Question 15-13(1): Review Of Mackenzie Highway Maintenance
Question 15-13(1): Review Of Mackenzie Highway Maintenance
Item 6: Oral Questions

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James Rabesca North Slave

Supplementary, Mr. Speaker. I understand there are plans to realign the road between Rae Edzo and Yellowknife. In order that my constituents are made aware of any plans that will effect them in that area, Mr. Speaker, I ask the Minister, does the Department of Transportation have concrete plans to rebuild this stretch of road to eliminate injuries.

Supplementary To Question 15-13(1): Review Of Mackenzie Highway Maintenance
Question 15-13(1): Review Of Mackenzie Highway Maintenance
Item 6: Oral Questions

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The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Mr. Antoine.

Further Return To Question 15-13(1): Review Of Mackenzie Highway Maintenance
Question 15-13(1): Review Of Mackenzie Highway Maintenance
Item 6: Oral Questions

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Jim Antoine Nahendeh

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I believe this is somewhat of a new question. I just want to inform the Member that being the new Minister of Transportation, the department has some documents that he should be aware of that describe the transportation strategy that was put together by the department in 1990. There were two tabled documents: the first in 1993, entitled The Transportation Agenda; the second in 1994, entitled The Transportation Strategy Update. These documents have a lot of information on the direction that the department is going in all areas of transportation as well as in the area of highway construction.

As the Member knows, the department has been paving the road from the border right to Yellowknife. I think that is still in the strategy. We are at the stage where there is a section between Providence and Rae that still has to be completed. There is also a section from Rae to Yellowknife that is in the plans to be done. As to exactly when it will be done, it's a capital expenditure and we haven't got to that stage in the House. It's still up for discussion. The Member should know that it's in the plan and if he reviews these documents he'll become more aware of the strategy for highway construction. Thank you.

Further Return To Question 15-13(1): Review Of Mackenzie Highway Maintenance
Question 15-13(1): Review Of Mackenzie Highway Maintenance
Item 6: Oral Questions

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The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Thank you. Item 6, oral questions. Mr. Steen.

Vince Steen

Vince Steen Nunakput

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to address my question to the Minister of Transportation. Mr. Speaker, with the poor all-weather road conditions between Inuvik and Tuk, I would like to ask the Minister if he plans to

address this situation in his long-term transportation strategy in the future?

Return To Question 16-13(1): Review Of Inuvik/tuktoyaktuk Road Conditions
Question 16-13(1): Review Of Inuvik/tuktoyaktuk Road Conditions
Item 6: Oral Questions

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Jim Antoine Nahendeh

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'm not too clear on that, whether it's an all-weather road that he's referring to or is it a winter road. However, as for the winter road, I know the department works in that area to try to keep transportation going there in the wintertime. As for the all-weather road, this is more of a long-term strategy and I'll have to check with the department to get the specifics on that and get back to the Member. Thank you.

Return To Question 16-13(1): Review Of Inuvik/tuktoyaktuk Road Conditions
Question 16-13(1): Review Of Inuvik/tuktoyaktuk Road Conditions
Item 6: Oral Questions

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The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Thank you. Item 6, oral questions. The Member for Hay River, Ms. Groenewegen

Jane Groenewegen

Jane Groenewegen Hay River

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question today is going to be addressed to the Premier, who is also responsible for the portfolio of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources. Hay River, as a community, had made quite a bit of effort and hard work in the last few years to try and attract people who were working in the North in the mining industry to consider Hay River as a viable and economic community to live in.

We were very pleased when we were successful in having the Colomac Mine choose Hay River as a point of departure for their employees. At first there was not a tremendous response by the employees to live in Hay River and many travelled from quite a far distance to catch the plane out of Hay River into the mine. However, over the last several months, the idea of living in Hay River has started to catch on and the research department tells me that presently half of the employees of Colomac Mine are now northern residents. I can't tell you the exact number of those 50 per cent that actually live in Hay River but I know that it is a significant number. We were very disheartened to learn that there has been a tentative plan now made by Colomac Mine to make Edmonton, Alberta, their point of departure for employees working in the mine.

It would also seem that another prospective mine is also looking at bringing people straight from the South in to work in the North. This is very discouraging. I would like to ask the Minister what can this government realistically do to stop this kind of thing and prevent this from happening more in the future. Thank you.

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Thank you. The Minister responsible for Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources, Mr. Morin.

Return To Question 17-13(1): Colomac Mine's Point Of Departure
Question 17-13(1): Colomac Mine's Point Of Departure
Item 6: Oral Questions

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Don Morin Tu Nedhe

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I, too, have some serious concerns, as the Member for Hay River has, about the direction mining is going in the Northwest Territories. I would agree that mining companies should invest and at least have their employees living in the Northwest Territories. I have contacted the Chamber of Mines already on this issue and I will be contacting Colomac Mines as soon as possible on this issue as well and encourage them to encourage their people to stay in the Northwest Territories and not resupply that mine out of southern Canada. But we must also remember that without a hammer or legislation like the northern accord, there is little that we can do except for encourage and try to work with them to invest and keep their employees in the North. Thank you.

Return To Question 17-13(1): Colomac Mine's Point Of Departure
Question 17-13(1): Colomac Mine's Point Of Departure
Item 6: Oral Questions

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The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Thank you. Item 6, oral questions. Mr. Erasmus.

Roy Erasmus Yellowknife North

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is to the Minister of Transportation. Out of the concern for safety of Mr. Rabesca on the road to Fort Rae, I have had plenty of occasion to travel on the highways south and back when I've been going to school and visiting some friends in Hay River and I've always been concerned with the vehicles that are travelling without lights. Often you can't tell if a vehicle is coming towards you or going the other way. I know there have been studies done in areas where it's mandatory to have lights on. The studies have shown it is safer and there are less accidents when it's mandatory to have lights on highways. Of course, this brings down the hospital costs, long-term care and stuff like that, so I was wondering if the Minister would consider initiating an amendment to the proper act to make it mandatory to use headlights on our highways.

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Minister of Transportation, Mr. Antoine.