Michael McLeod

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The contract for Ruskin was signed with the Deh Cho Bridge Corporation in March of 2010 with the approval of the GNWT, of course, so it would not appear in the GNWT contracts report for the 2009-2010 year. Thank you.

I’m not sure whether we’re going to threaten the MLAs to take part. We would expect most MLAs would want to be involved with the program to providing advertisements on the different radio stations and television stations. Also, I’m sure that many would want to sign up for a Take the Pledge Program.

The legislation for distracted driving has gone through the process. We have done the due diligence on it and provided our findings to standing committee. The legislation is now in the process of being drafted. We’re working with Justice on this. We’re hoping that we’ll have the draft legislation...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’m glad the Member has raised the issue of safety for our travelling public, whether it’s on our roads or our trails or our waterways. It’s an issue that you have to be constantly promoting.

This past couple years we’ve initiated a Drive Alive activity list program that focuses on different areas. Last year we had a number of things that we worked on. This year we want to continue that. We’ll be providing advertisements and also asking some of our colleagues from the MLAs to participate. We have developed a helmet safety program through posters and other means. We’re...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wanted to take the opportunity today to thank two hardworking Pages that are here from the biggest little school in the Northwest Territories, the Kakisa Territorial School. The school is a very small school. It has nine students this year. It has a very high standard for their students. They work hard to support them.

Today we have Dalton Simba and Joey Lacorne-Chicot with us. They’ve been here all week. They’ve come in with their chaperone, Patrick Chicot, on Sunday. They’ve had the opportunity to take in the sights of Yellowknife and enjoy Chinese food and pizza and...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to recognize today Mr. Patrick Chicot from Kakisa. Patrick’s here with our Pages that are working very hard for us from Kakisa and will be returning home on Friday. I will be recognizing the Pages tomorrow.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’m not aware of any changes at this point to how we’ve constructed ice bridges historically, so I’d have to look into the issue.

Our practice has been to utilize local contractors and generate local employment as much as we can. Construction of ice bridges and ice roads has always historically gone to private contractors. We have been looking at ways to save money or cut some of our costs and I’m not sure if this is one of the areas that may have been targeted. I will review the situation and reply to the Member directly as to what our findings are and what our plans are.

We have quite a few contracts that are signed with communities and development corporations across the Northwest Territories. I can’t say with any certainty whether the specific contract referenced is up this year. I will find out, though, and provide that information.

I don’t believe we’re planning to realign the highway at this point right now. My understanding, and I’d have to confirm that, is we’d be looking at types of guardrails and maybe some riprap or things of that nature that would curb the erosion and try to deal with the safety issue that’s happening there.

This has been an issue that’s been ongoing for quite a few years. My staff have informed me I think as far back as 20 years ago there was a concern in that area that there was erosion. It’s continuing to be a bigger concern, but right now to try to deal with it and prevent it from causing any...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We did take note of the concerns raised by the Member regarding the erosion that’s taken place on Highway No. 2. We have put in some money in our budget to deal with the situation and we will be doing work on it this coming summer.