Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I believe that the people of the Northwest Territories would like to know what is up with Ardicom and the digital network. There has been, to my mind, inadequate information and resulting high anxiety especially on the local service providers. I understand the project is late and that key deadlines have been missed. I am also concerned that the technology will be outmoded before it is installed. Local service providers like the business in Fort Smith have invested up to $60,000 in upgrades with CanCom that will give them capacity that far exceeds the digital network being proposed yet it seems that local service providers in the larger communities especially are going to be bypassed. We seem to have a contradictory situation, Mr. Speaker, where the GNWT with its policy to avoid market disruption seems to be promoting a project that will in fact disrupt the market for local service providers who have spent years and many dollars developing their systems. There has to be a serious meeting of the Government of the Northwest Territories and Internet providers to clear the air. We do not need a white elephant. We have to work with local Internet suppliers to provide the best, most up to date system possible, within budget to the people of the Northwest Territories. Thank you, Mr. Speaker
Michael Miltenberger on Member's Statement 436-13(4): Digital Communications Service Providers
In the Legislative Assembly on October 7th, 1997. See this statement in context.
Member's Statement 436-13(4): Digital Communications Service Providers
Item 2: Ministers' Statements
October 6th, 1997
Page 1436
See context to find out what was said next.