Twenty years behind. Canada, you know, the Northwest Territories, we're light years ahead of Canada in terms of our favourite national sport here. It's been supported and recognized by a lot of hockey moms, a lot of hockey parents here, and we choose and aspire all our children to be number one in the NHL and Canada and looking at the world now. We got our Canadian women hockey team that's outscoring our opponents in the Olympics here, you know. We've come a long way, you know, and it all began in the small little last frontier in Canada: the cold lake of Great Bear Lake, on the ponds of Grey Goose. This is where it started. So Canada should be really appreciative, you know, not only of the resources that we have, but also of our favourite pastime such as ice hockey.

So, Mr. Speaker, I want to say that the puck stops here in the Northwest Territories and it stops in Deline. You know? We have to recognize this legislation to give its rightful birthplace and recognize and support the community of Deline, support these types of sacrifices made by all parents in the Northwest Territories to see that hockey was born in the North here by northerners and that's our contribution to Canada in terms of what we have to give. It goes back a long, long time, so I want to say that we should now consider having Hockey Night in Deline instead of Hockey Night in Canada.

So, Mr. Speaker, in closing I want to say that this is a golden opportunity for tourism, promoting Deline, promoting Great Bear Lake. You can catch a big fish and you can play a nice game of hockey. As a matter of fact, when I was playing hockey there a couple years ago I won; no, we lost, our team lost, but I was chosen as the most valuable player. They usually give us trophies, but the people, they must be very kind and generous because, Mr. Speaker, when we were given our most valuable prizes, they gave a big trout for a prize in Deline. I thought it was wonderful.

So the uniqueness of hockey in Canada starts in the North. So I want to say that in terms helping out the North and helping out Canada, that we can support hockey in Deline by promoting it as a tourism opportunity in our brochures or other avenues if we support this and look at how we can do that, and also letting Canada know that the Northwest Territories, especially the people in the North here, are true hockey players up here. Thank you very much.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. To the motion. The honourable Member for Kam Lake, Mr. Ramsay.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I'm very happy today to support the Member for the Sahtu in recognizing the community of Deline and the Northwest Territories as being the true birthplace of hockey in Canada, and I think it's a tremendous opportunity that the Northwest Territories has, and the community of Deline, to market and promote ourselves and actually fight for the opportunity or the recognition of being the birthplace of hockey. I know other communities in Canada do try to take the distinction of being the birthplace of hockey, but Mr. Speaker, I think we should meet them in the corner and fight them for that distinction.

Also, I wanted to also mention the fact that the new Prime Minister, Mr. Stephen Harper, is a noted hockey historian and some people might not know that, but he's currently writing a book on the history of hockey in Canada and it may be a perfect opportunity to get Mr. Harper to come to the Northwest Territories and come to Deline and see the real birthplace of hockey.

---Interjection

Again, Mr. Speaker, I'm very happy to be seconding the motion that's before us today. Thank you.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. To the motion. The honourable Member for Weledeh, the honourable Premier, Mr. Handley.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I had always hoped to find evidence that Meadow Lake was the home of hockey. But given the evidence that the Member has presented today, then I concede that most likely it looks like it was Deline and I certainly vote in support of this.

Mr. Speaker, knowing that the Prime Minister is a hockey historian, I will also commit to bringing this motion to his attention when I meet with him next week.

---Applause

Mr. Speaker, I want to just advise Members that Cabinet will be exercising a free vote on this motion. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. Handley. To the motion. To the motion. Mr. Yakeleya, did you have any closing comments for the motion?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I appreciate the support from the Members. Like they say in hockey, may the best team come out winning.

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. To the motion. All those in favour? All those opposed? The motion is carried.

---Carried

Motions. First reading of bills. Second reading of bills. Consideration in Committee of the Whole of bills and other matters: Bill 18, Committee Reports 5, 6, and 7, with Mrs. Groenewegen in the chair.

I call Committee of the Whole to order. When we left yesterday, we had the Minister of Transportation before us and we were considering the general comments on Transportation. What is the wish of committee today? Mr. Menicoche.

To continue with Transportation.

Very good. We will do that after a brief break.

---SHORT RECESS

I call Committee of the whole back to order. I would like to ask Minister McLeod, responsible for Transportation, if he would like to bring witnesses into the Chamber.

Is the committee agreed?

Thank you. Then we will ask Mr. Sergeant-at-Arms to escort the witnesses to the witness table and then we will resume with general comments on the Department of Transportation.

I would like to welcome Mr. Auger and Mr. Neudorf back into the Chamber today. We are on page 10-10, department summary, information item...To the detail of the Department of Transportation, department summary, information item, revenue summary, I have Mr. Menicoche.

With respect to revenue summary on 10-10, Madam Chair, on a recent trip over to Fort Liard with regard to raising revenue from registrations there, there are a couple of...There is some oil activity out there and some leases out there. Lots of vehicles coming in and out of the territory. Their vehicles are being parked. Actually, they come into the park and they are going out to the leases just out of Fort Liard. They are parking their trucks there for almost a year. Constituents were saying trucks are there for over six months. In terms of road licensing and safety, I think there's a requirement that if you are going to be having an extended stay in our territory, that there is a requirement in order to register your automobile and your vehicle in our great Northwest Territories. So they are saying, geez, Kevin, there are lots of trucks out there. I don't know if we have enforcement officers with road licensing that goes out to leases to see how long those vehicles have been there, but they are saying it's a possible source of lost revenue if we aren't there checking these vehicles. In fact, they are in our territory for free. They are sitting there for about a year and they aren't transferring their registrations over. I would just like to ask the ministry how road licensing and safety is collected in our communities and regions, particularly off highway on the leases, the kind of situation I brought up, Madam Chair. With that, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. Mr. McLeod.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Madam Chair, we require all vehicles, whether it's large transport trucks or heavy equipment or passenger vehicles, to be registered if they are going to be on our highway system. That also includes our winter road systems, the ones that we maintain, and also our ice roads. Any projects that are off our highway system, such as mine sites, are not obligated to fall under the same regulations. So they would not be required to be registered if they were on an oil lease or a mine site; private property, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Mr. Menicoche.

Thank you, Madam Chair. So even though they're spending extended time at the mines, as well, I would imagine, what is the requirement, then, to convert their licensing in the North? What are the rules or guidelines that govern this?

Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. Mr. McLeod.