This is page numbers 4035 – 4074 of the Hansard for the 17th Assembly, 5th Session. The original version can be accessed on the Legislative Assembly's website or by contacting the Legislative Assembly Library. The word of the day was communities.

Chair’s Ruling
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

Norman Yakeleya

Norman Yakeleya Sahtu

Mr. Chair, I just wanted to comment on this. It is a very important department for us in the Sahtu region. I’m very happy to say that I have three words: Bear River Bridge. It is something that we’ve somehow bumped off the rails there. I’m looking forward to seeing the department work as hard as they can to move this up in the construction phase. It’s going to be an important infrastructure with the winter roads past Tulita to the activity of the oil and gas exploration that wants to move into another phase of this oil and gas development.

The Minister talked about the Corridors for Canada III funding proposal. I look forward to having some information as to where we are moving this with the federal government and how they see it and how we are going to look moving this project such as the Mackenzie Valley Highway up into the communities that do not have all-weather roads. There are

1,400-or-so kilometres of winter road that we have been talking about. I would like to shorten that number, if possible, to increase the all-season road to our communities. I have certainly given my support to the Minister.

I want to make some comments on the winter road. The Minister is also pleased to see the Financial Management Board approved some funding for casual highway maintenance supervisors and highway transportation officers to work the Mackenzie Valley winter road. That was a concern by our people since the increase of oil and gas companies coming into our region and having one person in Fort Good Hope and the Wells be part of this. I would like to challenge the Minister – I’m not going to harp too much – to move it to the next level of the presence of the Department of Transportation. That would be requiring some commitment from this department. I have been at this for 10 years and I will continue to be at this to move the superintendents into the Sahtu. We have a superintendent in Fort Simpson and we have a superintendent in Inuvik. I think we need to now start bringing in a superintendent.

I think one of the concepts for us is decentralization and having the Sahtu be a stand-alone region. Decisions need to be made in the Sahtu on our winter roads and our airports. We need presence.

I’ve been told by people on some visits, some in Norman Wells, we need a regional office in the Sahtu. There are no superintendents in the Sahtu. Case in point, we had one of the workers drive into the Sahtu and meet one of our contractors. The workers didn’t know much about our winter roads. He tried to do something that didn’t make sense at all, so one of our contractors said, do you know how many snowfields we have between Blackwater and Tulita? The worker didn’t know anything. The contractor said there are 57 snowfields. That’s what we do.

So decisions coming outside of our region aren’t acceptable anymore. I guess I’m getting a little bit frustrated that the department keeps saying it has to be proven up. When you spend over $100 million this year, what more proving up do you need? There is a short time period. We need to start putting some of the decision-making in the Sahtu. Start putting an office in there where superintendents can make decisions in our own region. I guess I’m getting really tired of asking this government. You always say we have to prove it up, we have to prove it up.

Mr. Chair, I’m going to leave it because I’m getting pretty frustrated. I want to make this known. We do not need to have decisions made out of the Sahtu, like Inuvik and Simpson. Let’s make our own decisions. I will leave it at that, Mr. Chair. I will finish up on Monday because I’m just getting going here.

Chair’s Ruling
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

The Chair

The Chair Daryl Dolynny

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. As chair, I do have to note the clock. I do have to rise to report progress. Mr. Yakeleya, you will be first when we get to this activity next week. At this time, I would like to thank our guests, Mr. Auger and Mr. Neudorf. If I could get the Sergeant-at-Arms to escort our witnesses out of the Chamber, and thank you to Minister Beaulieu. Thank you for your assistance tonight. I will now rise and report progress.

Report of Committee of the Whole
Report of Committee of the Whole

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackie Jacobson

Good evening. Can I have the report of Committee of the Whole, Mr. Dolynny.

Report of Committee of the Whole
Report of Committee of the Whole

Daryl Dolynny

Daryl Dolynny Range Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Your committee has been considering Tabled Document 22-17(5), Northwest Territories Main Estimates 2014-2015, and would like to report progress. Mr. Speaker, I move that the report of Committee of the Whole be concurred with. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Report of Committee of the Whole
Report of Committee of the Whole

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Mr. Dolynny. Do I have a seconder? Mr. Yakeleya.

---Carried

Item 22, third reading of bills. Madam Clerk, orders of the day.

Orders of the Day
Orders of the Day

Clerk Of The House (Ms. Langlois)

Orders of the day for Monday, March 3, 2014, at 1:30 p.m.:

1. Prayer

2. Ministers’

Statements

3. Members’

Statements

4. Returns to Oral Questions

5. Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery

6. Acknowledgements

7. Oral

Questions

8. Written

Questions

9. Returns to Written Questions

10. Replies to Opening Address

11. Petitions

12. Reports of Standing and Special Committees

13. Reports of Committees on the Review of Bills

14. Tabling of Documents

15. Notices of Motion

16. Notices of Motion for First Reading of Bills

17. Motions

18. First Reading of Bills

19. Second Reading of Bills

- Bill 13, Devolution Measures Act

- Bill 14, Waters Act

20. Consideration in Committee of the Whole of

Bills and Other Matters

- Tabled Document 4-17(5), Northwest Territories Electoral Boundaries Commission 2013 Final Report

- Tabled Document 22-17(5), Northwest Territories Main Estimates 2014-2015

- Bill 5, An Act to Amend the Motor Vehicles Act

- Bill 10, Northwest Territories Lands Act

- Bill 11, Petroleum Resources Act

- Committee Report 2-17(5), Report on the Review of the 2012-2013 Public Accounts

21. Report of Committee of the Whole

22. Third Reading of Bills

23. Orders of the Day

Orders of the Day
Orders of the Day

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Madam Clerk. Accordingly, this House stands adjourned until Monday, March 3rd , at 1:30 p.m.

---ADJOURNMENT

The House adjourned at 6:05 p.m.