Mr. Speaker, the concept of a highway down the Mackenzie Valley has been around for many, many years, even from way back as far as the Diefenbaker days. The idea has been brought forward from the Government of the Northwest Territories on many occasions. Almost at every Assembly there’s been strategies developed over the years and they have included the concept of a highway, and we’ve indicated that there is a desire to see this move forward. Documents such as Corridors for Canada were drafted and included highways and to really no avail. It’s our interpretation that maybe we needed to do more work to build a business case, which includes the economic analysis, project description reports that we’re moving forward on.

Mr. Speaker, I certainly don’t want the Member to start thinking about going west when we should be going east to get further investment. I’ve seen and tracked the Member’s ventures on the CANOL Trail over the last three years. He’s been trying to walk that stretch of the highway. He’s shared some of the pictures and he seems to be riding a horse every time.

---Laughter

Mr. Speaker, there is a real need for the federal government to invest in this highway. We have taken every occasion that we had to bring the case forward. We have tried in different formats. We tried to bring it forward as a sovereignty issue. We brought it forward as a P3 concept. We submitted every project budget that came available from the federal government. Our last several discussions, the Minister has indicated that we just needed to wait and see if there is anything in the budget, so that is where we are at at this point. Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, I have to apologize to the Member. I don’t have that information in front of me. I do recall that the report that was conducted and the research that was done in the communities came back indicating there would be huge benefit to the communities along the right-of-way. There would be huge benefit in terms of jobs in the area of road construction. There would be a lot of savings to the communities in the cost of living as they’d be able to travel on a year-round road. It would certainly increase tourism. That part of the country is very beautiful, as the Member knows. There are huge benefits, as this document has indicated. I can’t remember specific numbers at this point but I’d certainly be glad to share it, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We certainly listened to the Member’s statement with great interest as he did some comparables there regarding the CANOL Trail and how fast that was built.

Mr. Speaker, I have to point out we are all anxious to see this road move ahead. We have had some good discussions with the federal government and certainly don’t want to wait until there’s another war before we see investment, Mr. Speaker.

We have done a lot of work in the life of this government on the Mackenzie Valley Highway, probably more work than has been done for quite a few years. We were able to partner with the federal government on a number of fronts doing some of the research as required. We recognized some time ago that we need to build and develop a business case for this stretch of highway. As part of going forward with that whole concept, we contracted some people to come and do an economic analysis

of the road and it has come back very favourable. I would be pleased to share that information with Members if they haven’t seen it already. It would, of course, create a lot of jobs, it would open up the sense of isolation to the communities, and in a lot of the communities it would lower their cost of living. There are a number of things that are looked at in the economic analysis and if the Member hasn’t seen it yet, I’d certainly be pleased to present it to him. Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, I can commit to give it to him again. Mr. Speaker, this is information he has already received. We already approved our capital plan in October. As to what’s coming up in the next plan, that’s still being drafted and I’m not in a position to commit to something that I can’t guarantee.

Mr. Speaker, that is what I plan to do. Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, we don’t expect the money for Highway No. 7 to go anywhere except on Highway No. 7. I have to agree with the Member that there is a lot of investment that is going to be required over the next while to continue reconstruction of the road. The whole road needs to be reconstructed. It also needs to have a hardtop surface of some sort to protect it. That is going to require further investment.

I know the Member is trying to get some response from me as to what is in the upcoming budget. Mr. Speaker, that is in the process of being drafted.

There are huge needs right across the Territories in terms of infrastructure and highway rehabilitation. At this point we are just gathering information and it would be dependent on the different filters that we have to go through as to what remains on the drawing board and how much money will be available for investment across all our departments. Those things would have to be taken into consideration. Mr. Speaker, I can reassure that the Member’s concerns are heard and we recognize that there are needs for Highway No. 7. We will move forward accordingly. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We just recently approved our capital planning budget and there has been money allocated for Highway No. 7 as there has been money allocated for the last three years. Mr. Speaker, there are also some carryovers from previous years as we had to do further assessment. That has been done and we have committed to doing the work that has been identified through our planning system. Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, I know that all Members share my interest in doing everything we can to prevent needless deaths and injuries from occurring on our streets and highways. Every injury or loss of life is especially hard on our communities, especially when there is so much we can do to reduce the risks associated with the use of snowmobiles, all-terrain vehicles (ATV), and vehicles on our roads and trails.

Two thousand and eleven is the Year of Road Safety in Canada, Mr. Speaker. It is the first year of Canada’s Road Safety Strategy 2015 as well as the

international decade of Road Safety 2020. This is a good time to take stock of what we are doing to increase road safety in the Northwest Territories, and to decrease the number of needless collisions, injuries and fatalities.

Increased safety and security is one of the action areas under this government’s strategic plan. Through the Building our Future strategic initiative, we have invested in the Drive Alive Program which has a number of initiatives and partnerships to make our roads and highways safer.

Recently, Mr. Speaker, Members were asked to assist the Drive Alive “Be Visible, Be Safe” program by distributing retro-reflective armbands to their constituents, and the response from Members was enthusiastic. I thank each of you for your assistance, which enabled us to deliver this program in every part of the Territory.

Mr. Speaker, I would also ask for everyone’s assistance for our Buckle Up NWT initiative which will be ramping up over the next few months. We recently learned that at 40 percent, seatbelt usage in communities outside Yellowknife is the lowest in Canada. We know from collision statistics that a person who is not wearing a seatbelt is 17 times more likely to die than those who do.

Over the next two years, the Drive Alive Program will have a special focus on seatbelt usage in our communities. Drive Alive will partner with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, municipal enforcement, regional leaders and the other organizations to make people aware of the danger they put themselves and others in when they do not wear a seatbelt. I would like Members of this Assembly to be among the leaders who help us achieve the Buckle Up NWT goal of bringing the use of seatbelts in the NWT up to the national average of 95 percent. Mr. Speaker, I will have more to announce on this important initiative in the next few weeks.

Other initiatives for 2011 the Year of Road Safety under our Drive Alive Program include:

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the current pledge campaign to reduce the

number of people who use their cell phone while driving;

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an impaired driving awareness campaign,

including impairment caused by driver fatigue; and

•

a campaign to address speed as a contributing factor in collisions, particularly in bison country.

As part of our campaign on speeding, we will be informing residents that the penalties for violating the speed limit in construction and school zones have doubled. We will also be reminding drivers that when they are passing stopped emergency vehicles, they must slow to half the posted speed limit. We need to protect our police and municipal enforcement officers and our firefighters as they do their jobs.

Mr. Speaker, when trying to change the behaviour of drivers and others using our transportation system, our preference is always to inform and raise awareness of the better choices that each one of us can make. Voluntary changes like this are usually the most effective and are changes that last for life.

Our efforts to make our streets and highways safer are continuing. The support of Members to help make that happen continues to be appreciated. Every step we take towards preventing injuries and deaths help us deliver on this Assembly’s goals of healthy, educated people and sustainable, vibrant, safe communities. Mahsi cho.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It’s not very often I get visitors in the gallery so I’d like to welcome Ms. Sylvia Nadli, the award winner for the Wise Women Award for this year. It’s her first time at the Legislative Assembly so I’d like to say welcome and to have safe travels home. Thank you.