Norman Yakeleya

Mr. Speaker, I’d like to recognize a founding member of the N.W.T. Seniors’ Society, Mrs. Esther Braden, and also the executive director of the Seniors’ Society, Ms. Barb Hood. I want to thank them for their ongoing hard work on behalf of all seniors in the Northwest Territories.

Mr. Speaker, the bridge remains safe to the travelling public. The signage on the bridge is as much as we can do, and if we can, to do more. I’m satisfied that the signage that we have there, the message we have out for the public — to slow down when they cross the Kakisa Bridge — is there. We’ve been monitoring that traffic.

I myself have driven that road. I have crossed that bridge at five kilometres an hour. I myself am satisfied that all we can do now is up to the public to make wise choices, in terms of travelling all our roads in the N.W.T.

Mr. Speaker, it’s a precautionary measure that we ask of all public members, to slow down because of structural damages to the bridge, that they slow down when they cross the bridge at the Kakisa River.

Mr. Speaker, the issue the Member has raised, I will be looking into it. I will be asking the department.

I know there is lots of work that has been done by the department in terms of this issue here. I will ask the department to review its policies to look at the specific issue that Mr. Abernethy is bringing up here today. I will make a commitment that I would follow up with it as soon as possible and see where we can provide better service to our people in the North.

I, too, would like to see the licence plate and the word “spectacular” on it. I will follow up on this issue with my department. I will ask the department to give me an update as to this, and I will pass it on to the Members of the House. If Mr. Hawkins would like further discussions, I’ll be happy to sit down with him. I’m also working closely with my colleague from ITI in terms of advancing this issue so that all people in the Northwest Territories can be proud to have this word on their licence plates.

Mr. Speaker, I’ve indicated to my office to check on our schedules and my schedules and, of course, the Member’s. I want a schedule that we can coordinate with the leadership of Dettah so that we would arrange that meeting with the community as soon as possible. That may be within a week or so. I’ll be working with the Member on setting the time and location as to when we can meet with the good people of Dettah.

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the Member for the question and also for the encouragement to use influence in terms of all of the priorities across the North here and specifically on transportation needs, as we heard from other Members in terms of their needs in terms of transportation. I will be sitting with the lead Minister on specific funding arrangements that we’re discussing today with the federal government and looking at all the needs.

Certainly, again I would, you know, take into consideration the Dettah access road as any other roads, airports or regional facilities that are being...

Mr. Speaker, I too have driven the road to Dettah, and I understand what the Member is saying. I want to thank him for bringing this issue to my attention.

Mr. Speaker, as Members are aware, there are high transportation needs right across the Northwest Territories. I’m committed to looking at all requests. I too would direct my department to continue working with the leadership in Dettah and with the Member here in terms of looking at this particular need in terms of their safety. It’s our priority in the department to provide safe and reliable roads for the travelling public. I would be happy...

Mr. Speaker, I wish to table the following document, entitled Minister of Transportation’s Annual Report to the Legislative Assembly for 2007 on the Transportation of Dangerous Goods Act (1990). Thank you.

Document 19-16(2), Minister of Transportation’s Annual Report to the Legislative Assembly for 2007 on the Transportation of Dangerous Goods Act (1990), tabled.

Mr. Speaker, the question is on all our infrastructure systems, on roads in the North here.

We’re asking as a precautionary measure for vehicles to slow down because there’s some structural damage that we need to have replaced at the Kakisa Bridge. Like any other, it’s not a fail-safe bridge, so we’re asking members of the public to slow down when they cross the bridge.