Thank you, Mr. Bromley, Minister Beaulieu.

Thank you, Madam Chair. We will work with the city to try to find a safer way for pedestrians to come into the city for work and back to Niven. We know that the ideal situation, of course, and the safest situation is for the pedestrians just to stay on the city roads and come into town on the other side of Niven, recognizing that‘s a long ways, especially for the people that live on this end of Niven. But it’s just that we are finding that any time you cross, we create an unsafe… Whether we’re crossing right at Niven or crossing at the Legislative Assembly, both of the crossings on that road would not be a safe place to

cross. Nowhere is safe to cross. If you end up across, then you can have some pedestrians that come through by the Visitors Centre; however, alternatively trying not to have individuals cross the road at all would mean that the pedestrian pass would have to be on the Explorer side of the road and we know there‘s a huge cliff there. We‘d have to get around that somehow in a safe way. So, I think it will require some money and some consultation with the city. Like I said, the alternative is for the people to go the long way around, but I don‘t think people wish to do that so we‘re trying to find a solution.

I know the Minister is capable of putting all kinds of barriers up here but we need something done now. This has accelerated and exacerbated itself to the point where, you know, this is overdue. I realize that we can‘t do the perfect thing, so I‘m talking about an interim solution and I think a yellow flashing light… There are no obstructions, there‘s plenty of time for people to see those. I‘m not an expert so I‘m just giving you my opinion here, but something in the interim, in my mind, could be done at relatively modest expense. Recognizing that we are talking years now, still, after eight years of discussing this to get something actually done.

I appreciate the research that‘s been done and the intent to get things done, but people are really saying, we need this now and we are so lucky now. People approached me, both pedestrians and drivers. Drivers are equally upset because they are having close calls. Who wants to run over anybody? So this is a real issue and I would appreciate the Minister’s best efforts to get an interim solution in there while we wait for the perfect solution.

We will have our engineers look at this again along with the city and there will be some question on whether or not a flashing yellow light is a safe way to cross the road. It depends on the condition of the road and the lighting. I know that we have good lighting at Niven and if that is the solution, if they are able to cross the road and safely walk as far as the Legislative Assembly entrance, we will look at that along with the city.

Thank you, Minister Beaulieu. Highways, operations expenditure summary, $66.420 million.

Agreed. Thank you. Highways, grants, contributions and transfers, grants, $200,000.

Highways, active positions, information item on page 467.

Agreed. Thank you. Page 469, marine, operations expenditure summary, $7.418 million. Ms. Bisaro.

Thanks, Madam Chair. I just have one quick comment here and a question, I guess, about the expenditures. But I want to add my voice to those who talked about the need to dredge both the Hay River harbour and the Mackenzie River. I know that it’s a federal responsibility but I think it is something we as a government, as a territorial government, are going to have to seriously consider biting the bullet and funding within and then maybe going after the feds for some money, because this is only going to get worse, it’s not going to get better.

My formal question to the Minister is whether or not there is any money in this budget. Will there be any consideration to put money in this budget for dredging either Hay River harbour or the Mackenzie River itself in the ’15-16 year? Thank you.

Thank you, Ms. Bisaro. Minister Beaulieu.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. There is no money in this budget for dredging Hay River, the port or the rest of the Hay River.

So, will the Minister be considering trying to find some money to do some dredging in the ’15-16 summer?

Yes, we are. We’re hoping that the federal government, through the Department of Fisheries and Oceans, will put some money into dredging the Hay River. I recently wrote a letter to the Minister responsible for the federal government, asking them to look at that.

Thanks to the Minister, but I already heard you say that the other day. My question is: If we don’t get money from the feds, will you find money from within our own budget to try to do some dredging? Thank you.

That’s not in our plans. It is a federal responsibility and it’s unlikely that we will take money from our responsibilities and then expend it where the federal government has responsibility.

Thank you, Minister Beaulieu. Committee, we are on page 469. Transportation, marine, operations expenditure summary, $7.418 million.

Page 470, Transportation, marine, active positions, information item. Questions?

Page 473, road licensing and safety, operations expenditure summary, $5.840 million.