Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Transportation. It is in regards to an issue that I have raised in this House. It is about the increased number of highway fatalities on our highway system. In 1996, there were some 160 highway accidents. Mr. Speaker, in 1997 there was an increase of 130 accidents on our highway systems. Mr. Speaker, also the record shows that there has been a decrease in the number of registered vehicles and licences issued in the Northwest Territories.
Mr. Speaker, the concern I have is the cause of the increased number of fatalities on the road systems. I travel a lot on the highway systems, and one of the biggest concerns that I see on the highway system is the question about dust control. Also, problems driving on the highway system especially in the summertime with 24 hours sunlight where you have a hard time seeing if there is a vehicle in front of you and also of the vehicles coming to you. You cannot always determine exactly where these vehicles are on the road or if there is a turn coming up. Mr. Speaker, I would like to ask the Minister about the number of fatalities that are on our road systems, and the large cause of these accidents are because of the dust problems we have on a lot of our roads which are gravel highways. What is this department doing to improve, repair, and maintain those highway systems so that we can decrease the number fatalities on those roads?