Thank you, Mr. Jacobson. A motion is on the floor. A motion is being distributed.

Thank you, committee. The motion has been distributed. The motion is in order. To the motion. Mr. Jacobson.

Yes, thank you, Mr. Chairman. Regarding the opening statements that I said earlier this afternoon, I really think this is a position that is a safety concern for myself and the betterment of the Tuktoyaktuk Airport. Having a regional manager there in the community, he does not only take care of the one airport in Tuktoyaktuk, he takes care of the other three in my riding, four in total. I really think that, like I said, this individual goes above and beyond his duties in regard to doing his job to the best of his ability and I really think this wouldn’t be good to cut because, as the Minister said earlier, the position will be looked at again, and just stating that won’t ever come back to the community. Just speaking to that, I just thank my colleagues for voting with me on this motion. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Jacobson. To the motion.

Question has been called.

---Carried

We’re on page 11-17, activity summary, airports, operations expenditure summary, $29 million. Any questions? Mr. Yakeleya.

Mr. Chair, the question I have on the airports here, I’ve been forced by a number of residents in Deline and they are saying through airports maintenance that they’re certainly looking forward to a community airport snow blower. There would be other avenues as to how they can get one in the community. Over the years, there has been an increase in terms of aircraft usage. It’s been one community that’s certainly seen some increase in the traffic, especially in the wintertime, and they have to juggle the grader usage with the hamlet. They were looking to see if they could possibly ask this department here, through the various means, to see if they can get a snow blower for the community. I know it’s in the books somewhere but I don’t know if it’s quick enough for them to get a community snow blower. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. Minister McLeod.

Mr. Chairman, we were not aware that there was a concern with the snow blower in Deline. It’s the first time we’re hearing the request. We certainly can take a look at it. We do assessments on our equipment. It is a capital item. We can commit to the Member that we’ll have an assessment done on the snow blower

and if it is in need of replacement, then we’ll put it in the capital process.

I don’t know what to say. It chokes me up here.

---Laughter

Mr. Chair, this issue is being brought to my attention, like I say, and I’m very surprised that the department hasn’t filtered its way up to hear from the community. I do appreciate the Minister’s response.

I want to say, also, with the issue of airports in our small communities, there have been a number of incidents where vehicles have been parked. I know it’s at the owner’s risk when they park vehicles in these small communities when they have to travel for a week, a couple of days to the other centres for meetings. Some of the larger centres have some type of security system; however, in the small communities, sometimes these passengers leave their vehicles in the area at the terminal and sometimes there is vandalism that happens over the weekend. It happened several times in this community here, in Deline. I know that the department is not responsible for passengers leaving their vehicles overnight at the airport. Is there any way that the department can work with other agencies to see if there’s any type of security or advise the passengers when they leave their vehicles at the airport? In other airports in the Sahtu, the vehicles are pretty well safe there. I think just a couple times I got inquires as to vehicles being left at the airport. Thank you.

Mr. Chairman, this is not an issue that’s restricted to the smaller communities. We have larger centres in all our communities that are experiencing problems with vandalism on vehicles and theft, even in the private parking lots of some of the companies, the air carriers. It’s really not an area that we are going to step up and assume liability on. It’s posted very visibly that it’s park at your own risk. We certainly can encourage the RCMP or the bylaw to do increased patrols. I would suggest that the owners of the vehicles also do the same so that the vehicle can be monitored. It’s a difficult area and we don’t have the resources to provide security guards or security at all our airports.

I certainly agree with the Minister in terms of maybe I was somewhat narrow-minded on it happening only in small communities. I do agree with the Minister that this happens at all airports no matter how well your security systems are, if there is any type of security system. I do look forward to seeing if the Minister can work with the hamlets or the communities in terms of having an extra drive-by at the airports to make sure that

some of the vehicles are there. Sometimes it’s very difficult because you don’t have the resources to have a 24/7 type of security system, but if there’s any way that the department can work with the communities and work with the hamlets, the bylaw officers or the RCMP to look at this and also make the passengers aware that when leave their vehicles at the airport that there’s a big sign that says park at your own risk and have some safety measures be put in place that they are well aware of.

One issue that certainly requires other agencies to ensure that the vehicles at the airports are respected in terms of those who have to park their vehicles for some reason at the airport, I appreciate the Minister’s comments. I guess it has to be through the safety at the airports to see if there are other ways that they could make it a safe place where passengers can at least park their vehicles for a night or two without worrying that it’s going to be damaged when they come back to their community.

We will continue to monitor to see if we can do anything different to enhance security at our airports.

Thank you, Minister McLeod. Next on my list is Ms. Bisaro.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I have a couple of questions with regard to some of the activities that the department has planned for ’09-10 relative to airports. The business plan indicated that there’s going to be an investigation of alternative Yellowknife Airport governance models. I wonder if I could get an explanation from the Minister as to where that project is going. I guess, basically, the rationale, who’s driving it and what kind of involvement does the City of Yellowknife have in this particular project. Thank you.

Thank you, Ms. Bisaro. Minister McLeod.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. This was an initiative that was looked at as part of the budget reductions. It’s still on the drawing board. We have, within our department, been doing some work in the area of airport authorities. There has been some contact with the city and as we move forward, we will be pleased to share that with committee.

There was quite a bit of work two or three years ago, well, probably longer than that, about an airport authority and my recollection is that it wasn’t very positive. Would the Minister advise whether or not that previous work is being considered as they go forward? Thank you.

Yes, Mr. Chairman. We have and are using the initial work that was done several years ago and we’ve also done a number of new things that we have been working on and putting together that we’ll be adding to it. Thank you.

I guess I’ll accept it at face value. I guess I’d like to just caution that anything as we go forward, certainly the City of Yellowknife needs to be involved and certainly City of Yellowknife businesses need to be involved. It’s something that’s going to impact largely on this community and I just caution the Minister to make sure that we involve more people rather than less as this project goes forward.

I have another question with regard to another project which the department has outlined for ’09-10 and that has to do with airport commercial land development. Can I ask whether or not the department, since business plans were done, is this still on the horizon for the department? Are they still looking at airport commercial land development at the Yellowknife Airport? Thank you.

On the first question regarding the airport authority, again, we’re quite early in the development of anything that’s going to be presented publicly and we will certainly commit to making sure committee is aware of where we’re at as we move forward. We totally agree that the City of Yellowknife will be a player and needs to be a part of it. The air carriers and the different companies in the air industry will certainly play a role also.

As to the commercial development, we’re always looking at commercial development. I’ll have Mr. Neudorf talk to any of the specifics of recent developments, if there’s any. Thank you.

Thank you, Minister McLeod. Mr. Neudorf.

Thank you, Mr. Neudorf. Ms. Bisaro.

I need to express a concern that’s been expressed to Yellowknife Members by the City of Yellowknife about commercial development on airport lands. The airport lands are within the municipal boundaries of the city and there is a concern on the part of the city that developments that are undertaken by the government on airport lands has an impact on other businesses within the city in terms of revenue, and quite often taxes or tax rates on airport lands are not the same as they are within the city and it creates difficulties for the city. Having said that, is the department in discussion on these particular developments with the city? My understanding is that you are, but I don’t know that you’re necessarily agreeing so I’d like to hear government’s side of it. Thank you.