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Opposition crying coverup over Highway of Tears consultation

Opposition MLAs are accusing the government of refusing to issue notes from meetings the Transportation Minister said he had with First Nations leaders along the Highway of Tears because they contradict his claim there is no support for public transp
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Opposition MLAs are accusing the government of refusing to issue notes from meetings the Transportation Minister said he had with First Nations leaders along the Highway of Tears because they contradict his claim there is no support for public transportation along the stretch.

NDP MLAs Maureen Karagianis and Jennifer Rice raised the issue Tuesday during question period in the legislature saying they had filed a freedom of information request for the records after Minister Tood Stone had said he had met with about 80 organizations, local governments, First Nations and others to discuss safer transportation options.

They filed the request in December when Stone had told a radio talk show host the ministry has heard from First Nations and other local government that a publicly-run bus service along Highway 16 is "probably not practical."

Rice said staff responsible for freedom of information requests first asked for an extension because the records were handwritten and needed to be transcribed, although a letter saying the original deadline could not be met made no such reference. Rather it said the delay was due to limited resources.

Then, in a Feb. 20 letter, an official said no records were located despite a thorough search and the file had been closed.

In part, Stone responded by saying there is an appeals process in place through the Office of the Privacy Commissioner and went on to say the Liberal government takes the issue seriously.

In an interview, Rice said public transportation along Highway 16 is practical.

"Absolutely. What I'd like to see is an open process where the government works with communities to identify the places where the service is needed the most and the levels of service that would make a difference and then go from there," Rice said.

Rice said she wants the notes released because she expects they will contradict what Stone has been telling the public, "and if that's the case northern communities and First Nations deserve to know that."

Rice said she has yet to hear a municipal council or First Nation speak against the idea of a publicly-run bus service along the stretch. The idea has been raised in several venues over the years and has been supported by the Oppal Commission into missing and murdered women.

The issue was raised again Wednesday in question period after Nechako-Lakes Liberal MLA John Rustad told the same radio talk show that "there hasn't been anyone gone missing in some time," when asked why a bus can't be run along the highway.

In the legislature, Rustad said a number of strategies have been implemented, including the Northern Health bus service and improved cell service. He said the level of awareness combined with the programs put in place have "made a huge difference."

"The highway is much safer than it has been, particularly over the last 15 years," Rustad said.