Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the Member for Yellowknife South has, on several occasions, expressed his disappointment in this House that the Department of Transportation was not moving fast enough to increase the posted speed limits following the enactment of his private Member's bill to amend the Public Highways Act.
As the act stands amended, it is now within the discretion of the Minister of Transportation to set speed limits in excess of 90 kilometres per hour. As the Minister, Mr. Speaker, I do not take my new responsibilities lightly. There are already too many single vehicle accidents on our highways resulting in deaths and serious injuries. The cause of single-vehicle accidents is usually attributed to excessive speed. The Department has been rightly concerned about the message higher speed limits might send the public. Speed, after all, does kill.
This spring, once the snow was gone, the department has taken a careful look at the newly reconstructed and paved corridor from the Alberta border on Highway 1 to Edzo and Highway 3. The Department has recommended, and I agree, that the first 84 kilometres of Highway 1 from the Alberta border to Enterprise is not wide enough and has too many curves for a posted speed limit of 100 kilometres an hour. The speed limit on this section of Highway 1 will remain as it is at 90 kilometres an hour.
Mr. Speaker, the next 350 kilometres of Highways 1 and 3 have been built to a higher standard. The highway is wider, curves have been straightened out and sight distances improved. The department has recommended, and I agree, that the speed limit on the paved surface between Enterprise on Highway 1 and Edzo on Highway 3 should be raised to 100 kilometres an hour.
I have asked the department to put up the new speed signs as soon as possible. They will be changed over the next four to six weeks. Mr. Speaker, I would remind the public that the posted speed limits are maximums. Whatever the posted limit, the weather, traffic and road conditions are always changing and people must take care to drive accordingly. Thank you.
--Applause