This is page numbers 4589 – 4648 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 services.

Topics

Daryl Dolynny

Daryl Dolynny Range Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We in the NWT suffer from many forms of addiction. Some of these addictions are to drugs and some are alcohol related. Both are bad, both destroy lives and both can be treated. However, we in the NWT also suffer from a severity of another modern day addiction and it’s getting worse, not better, and we’re ignoring all the warning signs. Of course, I’m referencing our addiction to connectivity while driving a motor vehicle.

Just this morning on my way to work, just in a couple of blocks I counted nine motorists on their cell phone while driving. My questions today are for the Minister of Transportation.

Our distracted driving law came into effect on January 1, 2012, and on October 22nd of that year, I

asked then Minister of Transportation how many convictions, tickets and warnings have been issued in the NWT since inception. So I will ask the same question to the Minister here today. Thank you.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Mr. Dolynny. Minister of Transportation, Mr. Beaulieu.

Tom Beaulieu

Tom Beaulieu Tu Nedhe

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In 2012 we had 177 convictions; in 2013, 223 convictions; and to the end of March 2014 we’ve had 54 convictions. Thank you.

Daryl Dolynny

Daryl Dolynny Range Lake

Thank you to the Minister. Thank God for Twitter for the advanced notice. Clearly, the issue of distracted driving is not getting any better, not only here in the NWT but everywhere. Just last month I saw a billboard in Edmonton saying “Crotches Kill.” I was a bit taken aback by the aggressive tone, but you didn’t need to stray far as many drivers really do have a fetish of looking at their underwear while driving. Don’t worry, Mr. Speaker, we in the NWT have the same addicted fetish. So I know DOT has awareness campaigns like Leave the Phone Alone and Drive Alive!.

Can the Minister honestly stand before this House and say these programs are having a meaningful impact here in the NWT? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Tom Beaulieu

Tom Beaulieu Tu Nedhe

That type of campaign seems to have limited impact on an individual deciding to continue driving while distracted. One of the steps we are taking immediately is to increase the fines for individuals who are found to be distracted driving. This is perhaps not enough of a fine, but the fines have gone up from $115 to $280 if you’re caught driving while you’re on your phone or texting. So that is one step and we’ll see how that works. Probably we’d have to do something more severe to start to bend the curve downward. Thank you.

Daryl Dolynny

Daryl Dolynny Range Lake

I will probably get some clarifications on the changes in fines, which leads to my next question. I took the liberty to compare our fine and demerit program for distracted driving and put them against the rest of the country. While the NWT residents normally suffer from a high cost of living, clearly our fines make us the cheapest place to get caught in the country.

Can the Minister explain why our fines, from what I know today, are published at $115? Why are they so low? More importantly, what is he doing to address our inability to deter motorists? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Tom Beaulieu

Tom Beaulieu Tu Nedhe

The Member is correct; our fines are very low. So this is the reason we are increasing them, more than doubling them from what we have of $115 to $280. Also, in addition to that, we are going to step up the advertising and campaign of making people aware of how dangerous it is to do distracted driving. We know figures show in reality, distracted driving is more dangerous than impaired driving. We are going to have to be as severe with distracted driving as we are with impaired driving. Thank you.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu. Final, short supplementary, Mr. Dolynny.

Daryl Dolynny

Daryl Dolynny Range Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’m strongly encouraged from what I am hearing from the Minister, and I appreciate the thoroughness of his reply. Back in October 2012, I suggested an amendment to the act of the removal and confiscation of the illegal and dangerous use of a mobile tool while driving. The then-Minister said the department would consider the idea. I’ve heard nothing since.

Because I believe we have to get tough on treatment like any other addiction, can the Minister convince this House he has a handle on this issue and will give it his full attention for the remaining life of the 17th Assembly. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Tom Beaulieu

Tom Beaulieu Tu Nedhe

I do believe that the department does have a handle on the issue. It is a relatively new thing, as I indicated, about three and a half years we have been charging people for distracted driving. I think over time it would become very apparent. It would probably be viewed as poorly as people view impaired driving within a very short period of time. Like I said, it’s probably more dangerous than that. So we’re very serious, the department, about doing something about it.

I see distracted driving all the time too. In fact, I just watched almost an accident two days ago as an individual was waiting at a stop sign. We both watched a young lady drive through a red light on the phone, and we both looked at each other and went like this. I mean, it’s dangerous for everyone, so we’re serious about it.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu. Member for Nahendeh, Mr. Menicoche.

Kevin A. Menicoche

Kevin A. Menicoche Nahendeh

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I’m glad that some Members here are talking about our highways and highway system.

I just wanted to ask the Minister of Transportation with reference to my Member’s statement. I know that for the 2014 construction year, we had many plans and investment for Highway No. 7, Highway No. 1 north of Fort Simpson towards Wrigley and, of course, from Fort Simpson towards Hay River.

I’d like to ask him about those plans. Are they on track and what’s the DOT’s strategy for completing all the projects this year? Thank you very much.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. Minister of Transportation, Mr. Beaulieu.

Tom Beaulieu

Tom Beaulieu Tu Nedhe

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. There are three main pieces of work happening in the area that the Member speaks of. On Highway No. 7 we are resurfacing and putting new chipseal

down from zero to kilometre 20, and the Member knows exactly where that is. Also, on Highway No. 1, we are going to apply new chipseal. I believe there was some chipseal down. We’re going to apply new chipseal from kilometre 395 to 411. Also, again on Highway No. 1 just as it flows into the Member’s riding, from kilometre 188 to kilometre 206 we’re going to resurface and put on new chipseal. Thank you.

Kevin A. Menicoche

Kevin A. Menicoche Nahendeh

Thank you very much. I’d like to thank the Minister for confirming those projects. The one that was most concerning this spring was Highway No. 1 that goes from Fort Simpson and Wrigley. That collapsed in some places; there were ruts; there was lots of mud. I think there were some plans to do some reconstruction work on that Wrigley road section.

I’d like to ask the Minister if he could confirm some of those plans. Thank you.

Tom Beaulieu

Tom Beaulieu Tu Nedhe

Mr. Speaker, unlike the Member, I don’t know where each of the kilometres start and end. I do believe that the highway that the Member refers to, I think, is from 395 to 411, and that’s the part of the road where we are applying new chipseal. But I cannot confirm that in the House today, if that was the exact section that the Member is referring to, but I would be glad to get that information immediately and get back to the Member. Thank you.

Kevin A. Menicoche

Kevin A. Menicoche Nahendeh

That section the Minister quoted – 395 to 411 – is actually towards the Hay River section. I was looking for the work that’s being done from Fort Simpson towards Wrigley. I think it might be kilometre 420 and even greater. So there was some work being done on the schedule for this year, but I’m asking the Minister to… Let’s complete that work and it looks like there’s more work to be done, by all the phone calls I’ve been receiving from Wrigley residents.

Will the Minister look into it and also confirm the plans to work towards Wrigley? Thank you.

Tom Beaulieu

Tom Beaulieu Tu Nedhe

Mr. Speaker, certainly I will look into that. I will talk to the department, and the department, in turn, will contact the regional office out of Simpson and confirm any issues with the road. If there are serious issues with that road, then we’ll repair it. Thank you.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu. Final, short supplementary, Mr. Menicoche.

Kevin A. Menicoche

Kevin A. Menicoche Nahendeh

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. In my Member’s statement I also spoke about the Jean Marie access road. There’s the Dehcho First Nations Annual Assembly there next month.

I’d like to know what plans are to maintain that road for all the travelling public and the increased

number of visitors that Jean Marie will receive. Thank you.

Tom Beaulieu

Tom Beaulieu Tu Nedhe

Mr. Speaker, earlier we had provided some funding to the group in order to make sure that that access road into Jean Marie is ready before the Dehcho Assembly. I’ll touch base, again, with the region, to the department, to ensure that was enough money to ensure that road was ready for people to drive in there for the Dehcho Assembly. Thank you.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu. Member for Sahtu, Mr. Yakeleya.

Norman Yakeleya

Norman Yakeleya Sahtu

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Last week the Ministers had some meetings with the Tulita leadership, and one specific topic that they were consistently on with the Ministers was the extension of the Mackenzie Valley Highway from Wrigley into the Sahtu region.

I want to ask the Minister, in regards to discussions with the Tulita leadership and this government here and the Sahtu region, could the Minister update us on the progress to build an all-season highway from Wrigley into the Sahtu?

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. Minister of Transportation, Mr. Beaulieu.

Tom Beaulieu

Tom Beaulieu Tu Nedhe

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. At this time what we have completed is a proposal. We recognize that this is something that’s been in the works for many, many years. This year, prior to March 31st , we as a government, with the Premier

and Minister responsible for infrastructure, Minister McLeod, were able to put together an initial proposal that we forwarded to the federal government. We have received a response. The federal government is looking for some more detail, some more technical detail, maybe closer, better estimates on what the actual costs could be. So we’ve received that letter and we are now working on preparing a response to that.

We are also in the process of completing an environmental assessment on the road between Wrigley and Norman Wells. The initial environmental assessment took it all the way to the Dempster, but now we’re focused in on the road from Wrigley to Norman Wells. Thank you.