Debates of Feb. 21st, 2017

This is page numbers 1837 – 1882 of the Hansard for the 18th Assembly, 2nd 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 program.

Topics

Oral Questions

Prayer

Canada’s Top Employer Of Young People 2017

Small Community Employment Support Program

Electoral Reform

Naats'ihch'oh National Park Reserve

Aurora College Program Reductions

Coordination Of Anti-Poverty Initiatives

Recognition Of Jessie Loutit

Out-Migration From Small Communities

Maintenance Enforcement Collections

Air Quality Regulations

Lack Of Employment Opportunities In Mackenzie Delta Communities

Aurora College Teacher Education Program

Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery

Support To Address Tragedies In Smaller Communities

Maintenance Enforcement Payments

Coordination Of Anti-Poverty Initiatives

Air Quality Regulations

Sahtu Land Use Planning

Aurora College Budget Reductions

Addressing Migration From Small Communities

Small Community Employment Fund

Reductions To Ferry Services On Peel And Mackenzie Rivers

Aurora College Performance Evaluation

Return To Written Question 15-18(2): Northwest Territories' Participation At The Association Of Mineral Exploration Bc Roundup In January 2017

Return To Written Question 16-18(2): Cabinet's November 2106 Trip To Ottawa

Petition 5-18(2): Funding To Aurora College

Tabled Document 288-18(2): Government Of The Northwest Territories Response To Motion 26-18(2): Junior Kindergarten

Tabled Document 291-18(2): List Of Northwest Territories Ministers And Staff Who Attended One Or More Events Associated With The Northwest Territories Mission To Ottawa, November 2016

Tabled Document 294-18(2): Letter From Chris Westwell, Regarding Proposed Budget Cuts To Aurora College

Tabled Document 296-18(2): Pension Administration Report - Retiring Allowances Act And Supplementary Retirement Allowances Act, Northwest Territories Legislative Assembly, March 31, 2016

Extended Adjournment Of The House To February 28, 2017

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

Tabled Document 261-18(2): Main Estimates 2017-2018, Infrastructure, Deferral Of Corporate Management Activity

Tabled Document 261-18(2): Main Estimates 2017-2018, Infrastructure, Deferral Of Programs And Services Activity

Tabled Document 261-18(2): Main Estimates 2017-2018, Infrastructure, Deferral Of Regional Operations Activity

Tabled Document 261-18(2): Main Estimates 2017-2018, Infrastructure, Deferral Of Further Consideration Of The Estimates For The Department Of Infrastructure

Report of Committee of the Whole

Orders of the Day

Committee Motion 57-18(2): Tabled Document 261-18(2): Main Estimates 2017-2018, Infrastructure, Deferral Of Programs And Services Activity, Carried
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

Wally Schumann Hay River South

Thank you, Mr. Chair. First of all, I ask the Member if he can send that e-mail again to me. We will double check and make sure that we never got it, but we don't recall anything. We will bring that concern forward. We will have a look at it. One of the things we can consider, depending on the issue, and we have a look at it with the Member or the community, there is a possibility we have money in the Highway Safety Improvement Capital Fund that we can look at maybe doing something on that road. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

The Chair R.J. Simpson

Thank you, Minister. Mr. Thompson.

Shane Thompson Nahendeh

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I appreciate the answer to the Minister. I will make that commitment that I will make sure that I get that letter to you guys. I will have to phone my office there because I got a response back from the department saying that it was going to be looked at and that was -- again I apologize, but I will make sure that we get this e-mail forwarded and I appreciate the Minister's commitment to look into it and work with the community to address this issue. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

The Chair R.J. Simpson

Thank you, Mr. Thompson. Next, I have Mr. Nadli.

Michael Nadli Deh Cho

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I understand that in 2015-16 the Department of Transportation or DOT had developed a transportation model strategy. I wanted to understand what perhaps could have been included in terms of the long-term plans for community airports, especially small communities. Mahsi.

The Chair R.J. Simpson

Thank you, Mr. Nadli. Minister.

Wally Schumann Hay River South

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I will turn that over to Deputy of Transportation, Mr. Neudorf. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

February 20th, 2017

The Chair R.J. Simpson

Thank you, Minister. Mr. Neudorf.

Neudorf

Thank you, Mr. Chair. We did release our updated transportation strategy about a year and a half or so ago. It talks about various priorities. The first priority would be to continue to maintain and look at the existing infrastructure that we have. In terms of community airports, for the most part, the infrastructure at the airports does serve the needs of the various communities.

From time to time, we request for air terminal upgrading, for example, so we are working on a plan for Inuvik ATV now. We recently upgraded terminals in Paulatuk, Sachs Harbour, and Tuktoyaktuk. Another thing that occurs from time to time is the need to relocate an airport because the community is starting to infringe on an airport, so in the past few years, five years or so, we have relocated Trout Lake airport and the airport in Colville Lake.

We will continue to monitor needs in all of our airports and community airports, and address the needs as they come up. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

The Chair R.J. Simpson

Thank you, Mr. Neudorf. Mr. Nadli.

Michael Nadli Deh Cho

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I have noticed recently in the community of Fort Providence that there have been some activities in terms of brushing, especially at the treetops. I understand, in that instance, it was done because of the priority of navigation equipment allowing the air traffic to safely land in the airport. What is the extend of the involvement in this department, and how were those decisions made to go ahead and create a project like that? Mahsi.

The Chair R.J. Simpson

Thank you, Mr. Nadli. Mr. Neudorf.

Neudorf

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Those decisions are made by the department. We need to ensure that all of our airports are operated in accordance with the regulations. Transport Canada regulates airport operations, and I am sure that we work underneath the rules that they provide; one of which is to maintain obstacle limitation surfaces, they are called. We have to have clear airspace for takeoff and landing related to aircraft. One of the things, obviously, trees can grow into that airspace. We do survey at airports from time to time, and if required, we will go in and harvest or cut down trees to make sure that we can continue to operate the airport safely. We have recently done that with Fort Providence. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

The Chair R.J. Simpson

Thank you, Mr. Neudorf. Mr. Nadli.

Michael Nadli Deh Cho

Thank you, Mr. Chair. It seems that the department, as part of their operations, is ensuring the safety and the access to small community airports. I just wanted to make a point, Mr. Chair: there is a presumption that there is a Community Access Program that is specifically for roads only. In this instance, a project of this nature that could affect airports, would perhaps the Community Access Program be expanded to include airports? Perhaps the Minister maybe could reply in terms of the idea to ensure that it is not only roads but airports included in the initiative. Perhaps there had been maybe, historically, projects to include airports access. Mahsi.

The Chair R.J. Simpson

Thank you, Mr. Nadli.

Neudorf

Thank you, Mr. Chair. The airport operations, the brushing, gravel resurfacing, maintaining air terminal buildings, various electrical lighting upgrades, O and M activities, are all funded from the airport operations line item. We have an acceptable level of funding there. Obviously, you have to operate these airports safely, and so we always prioritize the funding. We have a four-scope process in order to deal with any issues where funding might start to become deficient. All of our airports, the operations in the airport are well-funded. We are not looking at this time at taking some of the Community Access Program funding and allocating for airports. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

The Chair R.J. Simpson

Thank you, Mr. Neudorf. Mr. Nadli.

Michael Nadli Deh Cho

Thank you, Mr. Chair. No further questions.

The Chair R.J. Simpson

Thank you, Mr. Nadli. Mr. Blake.

Frederick Blake Jr. Mackenzie Delta

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, I just have a few questions for the Minister. Under Marine Operations, I see the reduction for the $1.8 million which was to operate both the Peel River and Mackenzie River ferry at Tsiigehtchic. Was this reduction for cost-saving measures? Thank you, Mr. Chair.

The Chair R.J. Simpson

Thank you, Mr. Blake. Minister.

Wally Schumann Hay River South

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Yes, it was. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

The Chair R.J. Simpson

Thank you, Minister. Mr. Blake.

Frederick Blake Jr. Mackenzie Delta

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, during our briefings, the Minister was planning to make this reduction and actually put it in the highway operations. Is that actually what happened? Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Debates of Feb. 21st, 2017

Topics

Help us improve OpenNWT