Kevin A. Menicoche

No, thank you very much, Mr. Chairman.

Mr. Chairman, that is exactly what I was getting at. I certainly support the department in continuing the eventuality, of course, of chipsealing Highway No. 1 up to Fort Simpson. I think that will be a huge achievement for the government to achieve that and, indeed, I have spoken before about achieving as much of a chipseal cover to all our highways as part of our goal, a strategy as one of our goals as the 16th Assembly, Mr. Chairman. I certainly look forward to that plan and to have further discussions about any further chipsealing work that can be done for 2011.

Just in terms of Highway...

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I just want to ask a few specific questions with regard to the chipsealing from Providence junction towards Fort Simpson. I think as a reference I was using Axe Handle as a quitting point, but I just want to know more specifically, Mr. Chairman, about how many kilometres of chipseal we will be doing first thing this spring. I would like to know how many kilometres we are looking at doing this spring.

Thank you very much there, Mr. Chair. I move that we report progress.

I think the key thing is that we just have to keep working with the communities and the different business groups. They are looking for these technologies and it is all about... I think we have to get to the stage of actually picking a project and actually piloting it. I know that some of the costs of some of the technologies can be overwhelming, but there are some projects that can be done on a smaller scale, probably with, I don’t know, mini units, Mr. Chairman.

In terms of biomass or in terms of geothermal or some of the other technologies out there, I think it can be done on a smaller scale...

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Will this Interpreter/Translator Program get to the level where the people attending it can be certified trainers in the regions and communities? Even I’m looking towards having something with Aurora College as well. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I’m glad to hear that there will be an expansion of that program throughout the North. Is that something that’s planned for the upcoming fiscal year 2010-2011? Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, [English translation not provided.]

Today I would like to speak about the interpreter/translator training in aboriginal languages of the Northwest Territories. Last year the Standing Committee on Government Operations visited many communities as part of the review of the Official Languages Act. In every community, people expressed concern about the lack of interpreters and translators. They were concerned as often there was no one to help people who were fluent only in their aboriginal language. Sometimes, for instance, there was no one to translate for an elder when he had to...

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I move that we report progress.

---Carried

Thank you very much, Mr. Chair. As we deliberate the Department of Transportation that’s before us, I’m really pleased that we’re able to work together as a House, committee and the Cabinet, in moving some of the big ticket items forward, most particularly, the Trout Lake expansion of the airport, the relocation of the airport. That’s a huge ticket item. It was the subject of much debate earlier on in our term, but we were able to work together and see the need of it for safety and the travelling public and the community. I’d really like to say that I’m sure that working hard together we can...