Michael McLeod

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes, that Bill 14, An Act to Amend the Motor Vehicles Act, be read for the second time.

Mr. Speaker, this bill amends the Motor Vehicles Act. A new short-term permit is created and an application for a driver’s licence may now be made based on a licence that has been expired for up to two years. Nurses are required to report medically unfit drivers in the same manner as is required of a medical practitioner. A person is prohibited from operating a vehicle with obscure or damaged lights or reflective...

Mr. Speaker, I wish to table the following document entitled Workers’ Safety and Compensation Commission 2009-2011 Corporate Plan. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, the responsibility for the MOU oversight falls under ITI. I am sure I could raise that for the Member if he requires. The budgets were passed in the fall, Mr. Speaker, for the capital. The budget for O and M has just been recently approved by this House. Mr. Speaker, the Member has requested from the Premier as to the status of the report that is required as part of the MOU. I believe that has been responded to by the Premier and he has indicated that it has been sent to the Gwich’in Tribal Council.

Mr. Speaker, provision of the projects is a different process. I don’t believe that...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would have to see the situation that the Member is raising. Is it an as and when tender? Is it an infrastructure tender? I am not familiar with the issue he is raising. We have an MOU that we are obligated to follow and our department is also involved in that. I would have to see more information, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, right now our biggest challenges in the communities, especially in the area of public housing that has been raised in this House many times, is having our units brought up to a better standard, having our units a lot more energy efficient and to place a lot of these units so our targets or intentions are to focus on doing some of that work in the public housing area, and also to look at the programs we have so that we can deliver more opportunity for private houses in the communities. Those are the two areas that I have been really looking at for the last while. Along with that...

Mr. Speaker, I am not one to discourage good ideas coming forward. I mentioned before that we would be willing to look at any unsolicited proposal. If it makes sense, if it is viable, if there is a way that we can identify the resources to do it or whatever that means may be, I would be glad to do an evaluation on it, having our people see if it is something that is doable, have the discussion with the other Members and talk to my colleagues about the potential of projects such as this. I don’t know where else I can go with it or what else I can commit. The Member has asked for something that...

The Deh Cho Bridge Act was brought forward as a result of many years of discussions and a very detailed proposal. If the Member would want to bring a proposal for us to consider, we would be pleased to take a look at it. Thank you.

This is a very important part of our being able to communicate with the clients and the people that come forward to apply for our programs. We certainly make notices given that if there is a requirement for an interpreter, we can certainly facilitate that. We try to ensure that our technical people at the community level and regional level are able to communicate and be able to provide information. We have new programs that can walk people through the different steps available through the budgeting process, through the banking, through the credit systems, all the different components that...

Mr. Chairman, I think we do some costing in terms of comparison of what it would cost to try to build an all-season road. We have taken some measures only because we have been assisted by the federal government. For example, on the Tlicho winter road, we will be moving forward to take what is now an ice road or a road built over mostly lakes and stream crossings, put it on land and make a winter road that is a little safer than the current one utilized. Mr. Chairman, it is quite difficult to look at the potential of building an all-season road without the federal government’s involvement...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. The Building Canada Fund was set up to run over the course of seven years. We have put in three budget years of submissions. There are still four years. The Member is correct, of course, that the federal government has indicated their desire to fast-track the programs. There has been no agreement reached yet. That is still something we are looking at in terms of additional funding or funding at the end of fast-track in two years. There is some concern that fast-tracking with the amount of money we have, given the resources we have, would really be a challenge. We expect...