Michael Nadli

Has there been discussion? I know right now we’re under fiscal restraint in terms of ensuring we control our revenues, but at the same time we control our expenditures. We’re trying to do more with less, so we’re at such a point it will probably make it necessary for us to cooperate and work together. There's more than likely cross-departmental initiatives to try to advance some major initiatives and do it so that it’s effective but at the same time it’s strategic.

One of the key things that I mentioned is just trying to ensure that we have a fairly reflective ratio of First Nation or northern...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This past Friday I was honoured to present a Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Award to a respected elder and advocate for Dene languages and culture, Mr. Daniel Sonfrere. Mr. Sonfrere is highly respected for his lifelong determination to preserve and promote the Dene language and culture.

[English translation not provided.]

Mr. Daniel Sonfrere continues to work tirelessly for the preservation and promotion of the Dene language. As part of a committee of six elders, all of them fluent in the Dene language, he works with a translator and linguist to record and preserve our language...

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Just some comments from a territorial view in terms of where things are at with the Deh Cho, the riding I represent. For the most part, I think this budget is a status quo budget. There’s nothing really extraordinary about the budget, but it’s a responsible one in that we’re still experiencing a downturn in the economy so we have to really watch in terms of balancing our revenues and expenditures. For the most part, it’s a responsible budget, and at the same time, we have to give the Minister credit for leading a team on this effort to come up with a budget that’s...

Thank you. Switching to the big bridge that is in operation now, I just want to understand what are some of the immediate short-term and long-term plans for the maintenance of the bridge. For one thing, or a couple of things, I know there are concerns about eventually bison perhaps stopping the flow of traffic. Another concern is just the traffic lights. At what point do you see perhaps the establishment of those additions to the bridge? Mahsi.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Earlier today I rose to at least honour the people that made it possible for us to transport goods plus drive over the Deh Cho ice bridge for a long time. So my question is to the Minister of Transportation.

I’d like to know the status of the crew that used to make the ice bridge, at the same time just the status of the crew that operated the ferry and what are the plans for them. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Perhaps just to build upon that, is there, at some point, plans for a more festive opportunity for the communities to be involved with signalling another ceremony? I know there have been discussions in terms of another celebration this summer. Could the Minister update in terms of how the Department of Transportation might be involved with that opportunity?

I wanted to know if the Department of Transportation has any prepared plans in terms of helping the people that perhaps have been laid off, or in terms of trying to help them with making the transition to other employment opportunities. Mahsi.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today I would like to rise just to honour the original ice bridge workers from Fort Providence. For over 50 years, generations of workers braved extreme cold and deathly cold conditions to build and maintain the ice bridge across the Mackenzie River at Fort Providence. They did this for the last time in the winter of 2011-2012. With the opening of the Deh Cho Bridge, there will no longer be an ice crossing at Fort Providence.

Building ice roads is hard and dangerous work. It involves long days and nights in all kinds of weather, and the risks of being the first and the...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I promise to keep it short.

My question today is to the Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs. Right now at the local level we have a lot of volunteers that participate quite graciously in the fire department. I just wanted to ask the Minister, can he comment further on the assessment of community fire services. Mahsi.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mahsi. There were 124 vehicle collisions on Northwest Territories highways in 2011. There was close to a 10 percent increase over the number of collisions from 2010. In spite of prevention efforts, driving conditions on our highway system can be challenging due to many factors beyond our control. Low visibility at certain times of the year, severe weather conditions, wildlife, rough road surfaces and long stretches of highway between communities with limited telecommunication services are just some of the things we contend with.

The Department of Municipal and Community...