Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and good afternoon. Mr. Speaker, as Minister of Transportation, I wish to update the Legislative Assembly on proposed amendments to the Motor Vehicles Act to deter impaired driving in the Northwest Territories. The Department of Transportation has been working with the Department of Justice on drafting new legislative measures to deal with impaired driving in the Northwest Territories.

New provisions are required to establish an administrative process that would allow the registrar of motor vehicles to deal directly with those who endanger the lives of others when they continue to operate motor vehicles while impaired. The new measures will also require drivers who have lost their driver's licence for impaired driving to demonstrate that they have earned the privilege of driving a motor vehicle again.

The Department of Transportation is modeling the amendments on legislation enacted and tested in the courts in other Canadian jurisdictions. They will also take into account the geographical and societal factors that need consideration in the Northwest Territories. As recommended by the Standing Committee on Governance and Economic Development, the Department of Transportation is preparing a discussion paper on the program elements that must accompany the strictly legislative aspects of implementing the impaired driving strategy.

Mr. Speaker, for the next session of the Legislative Assembly, I expect to bring forward a complete package consisting of the impaired driving amendments to the Motor Vehicles Act as well as a rehabilitation program for impaired drivers with the financial resources to put it in place. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

-- Applause