Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise today to express my extreme disappointment and dismay at the message contained in a letter recently sent to the City of Yellowknife from this government’s Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs. The Minister’s letter was in response to the letter from the City of Yellowknife in which Mayor Van Tighem asked the Government of the NWT to participate in the provision of 911 service for the NWT as recommended in the 911 analysis report, a report in which the GNWT was a full partner, I might add.
The answer in Minister McLeod’s letter is a resounding no. Apparently this government feels that if NWT communities cannot have 911 service all at the same time, then no one community should have it.
The Minister’s response is not only short-sighted but also shows a poor understanding of the study and the implementation report and its recommendations. It flies in the face of this Assembly’s stated goal of sustainable, vibrant, safe communities.
As well, one of this government’s strategic initiatives is Building our Future. Within that, an action item titled Increased Safety and Security. This action is further explained by the following statement: significant investments are also planned to improve people’s sense of safety and security in their homes and in their communities.
Some 77 percent of NWT residents live in our seven largest communities, Mr. Speaker. The 911 analysis report recommends implementation of that service for all NWT communities, but through a phased approach.
As with any large project, implementation must start somewhere, and the report recommends the phased 911 implementation should start with those seven largest communities: Behchoko, Fort Simpson, Fort Smith, Hay River, Inuvik, Norman Wells and Yellowknife. It’s a logical place to start and it would be a huge improvement to the safety and security of most of the NWT’s residents.
The 911 report also recommends that the implementation be cost-shared between these seven communities and the GNWT, not that the GNWT pay the whole shot, but that the cost be borne by all parties involved. But both the Minister of MACA and our government refuse to consider this plan. It seems we should wait until all communities have the necessary phone infrastructure before even considering implementation of 911 service. Realistically, that day is 10 years away and even then any implementation will still have to use a phased-in approach.
I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.
---Unanimous consent granted.