The Minister of Health and Social Services. Mr. Ng.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I believe we spent about $4 million in alcohol and drug programs at the community level, and approximately $4 million again in the residential treatment centres that we operate, Mr. Speaker.

Oral question. Supplementary, Mr. Roland.

Mr. Ng.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I do not have the detailed break-down of every community. I can say that, of course, for the residential treatment centres, that we fund through that program this current fiscal year, Delta House, the treatment centre in Iqaluit, the Northern Addiction Services here in Yellowknife, as well as the detoxification services here in Yellowknife, and also the Hay River Reserve. In respect to the alcohol and drug funding for the community based programs, those funds are spread throughout the majority of the communities in the Northwest Territories to provide alcohol and drug treatment, primarily awareness programs as it stands now, Mr. Speaker. Thank you.

Oral questions. Supplementary, Mr. Roland.

Mr. Ng.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we do, of course, account for the dollars spent, because we have to account for them through public accounts and to report on the expenditures approved by this House. As far as tracking savings, that is a very subjective issue. I mean, it is hard to determine what savings will materialize in the future as a result of some of the spending in the preventative programs that some of the alcohol and drug awareness projects undertake. Mr. Speaker. Thank you.

Oral questions. Final supplementary, Mr. Roland.

Mr. Ng.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, once again, I cannot say whether or not there have been studies done, because once again, it is a very subjective exercise. You have to make projections of what you think you will be saving in the future by spending dollars now. Although we agree with the general thrust that preventative dollars spent now will save you more than likely future dollars in some of your treatment and rehabilitative costs, Mr. Speaker.

Oral questions. Mr. Erasmus.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have been requested to seek unanimous consent to extend question period.

Thank you, Mr. Erasmus. The Member for Yellowknife North is seeking unanimous consent to extend question period. Do we have any nays? There are no nays. You have unanimous consent. Mr. Erasmus.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Transportation. It is concerning the added amount of vehicles on our roads as a result of the mines up north. On the Ingraham Trail, there was a truck that flipped last year after it came around a corner. It fish-tailed and flipped over. This was a huge truck. It was carrying a load. Also, last year about this time there was a MLA walking with his dog, and a truck was coming, and they had to dive off the road to get out of the way.

Yesterday, one of my constituents had to stop on the side of the road as three large trucks passed her. They had a wide load sign, and there were lights on the side of the truck, but the wide load sign itself did not have any indication as to how wide the load was, and it is very dangerous. My constituent was very frightened and upset and she stated that someone is sure to be killed on that road. I understand that there is going to be about 2,000 vehicles on that road in the next two months. We all know that the Ingraham Trail is just that, a trail. I would like to know if there are any plans to widen Ingraham Trail, to make it safe for vehicles and pedestrians alike? Thank you.

The Minister of Transportation. Mr. Antoine.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, there are no plans at this time to widen the Ingraham Trail. Thank you.

Oral questions. Supplementary, Mr. Erasmus.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Would the Minister seek to enter into some discussions with people within business, in particular the businesses associated with using that road? The people that have those trucks going by there, and I understand they are going by every 15 minutes or so. Eight minutes, as the Member from the hinterlands has so ably suggested. Would he enter into discussions with these people to see if they would be willing to help with widening that road?

Mr. Antoine.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, with the increase of traffic that we anticipate to be using the Ingraham Trail this year, to bring mine development and mining supplies and so forth up north of Yellowknife, into the Slave Geologic Province, we anticipate that there is a lot of concern. There is going to be an additional, we are told as an estimate, two thousand more v-trains, the big double loaded fuel tankers, plus all kinds of different semis that will be going into that part of the country.

Yes, the people living in the Ingraham Trail are going to have to exercise a lot of caution this year with these trucks going by. We are told by the trucking firms that they have instructed their drivers to be very cautious. We are also told that if anybody reports any drivers that are being unsafe and causing a very dangerous situation, then the drivers receive a warning, and on the second warning, this is one firm that has informed the department, they will be suspended for a couple of weeks. And the third warning, they will be suspended. I think the industry themselves have realized the nature of the situation. I am told by the department that one of the firms are taking those kind of actions, and I do not know what actions other firms have taken. The industry is very concerned about it.

As for the Department of Transportation, we have met with all the industry and the law enforcement officers. Yes, we will meet with citizens along the Ingraham Trail and the department and we will see what kind of discussion will develop perhaps some actions in the future. Thank you.