David Krutko

That’s exactly my point. Under the conventional system of putting this into the GNWT capital planning process, it ain’t going to see the light of day. Yet the Deh Cho Bridge was billed for $165 million by simply passing an act in this House. Will the Minister bring forward a Peel River Bridge Act so that we can do it under the same circumstances as the Deh Cho Bridge Corporation?

Last question. In regard to this project coming forward by way of a supp, why was it not built into the capital planning process you’re talking about developing the Energy Plan, looking at the different plans that have been put in place by the government so you actually have a plan of how we’re going to lay out this infrastructure and not just pick out a couple projects at a time? I still feel this government has to make more investment in the northern part of the Territories. All the projects to date have been south of Yellowknife, around Yellowknife and Hay River and Fort Smith. I’d just...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Tomorrow, March 11th, snowmobilers from Fort McPherson will be skidooing to the headwaters of their traditional territory, the Peel River watershed. The Tetlit Gwich’in Council and Na-Cho Nyak Dun have spent many months planning this snowmobile trip, originally planning to leave Fort McPherson and ending in Mayo. Due to unforeseen circumstances and time shortage, the trip will see that both parties meet halfway between Fort McPherson and Mayo at the headwaters of the Peel River watershed.

The purpose of this trip is to revisit the traditional trails that were once...

Maybe the Minister can elaborate on the Aklavik project, since you mentioned it. What project is it?

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. It’s in regard to these type of projects I think that we have to seriously start implementing these type of projects in high cost communities. No offence to Fort Smith; we’ve made a major capital investment last year in regard to electric heat, putting electric heat in a bunch of public facilities and a lot of infrastructure dollars went into that, and also into the heating systems we see here in Yellowknife, now Hay River, Fort Smith. But I think we have to do something in regard to the high cost communities in the northern part. I mean, the northern part, north of...

I will try to rephrase my question. My question was, can the government consider putting into its business plan an estimate for gravel road source to 177 costs about $1 million a kilometre where to Nahanni Butte we are spending $500,000 a year to build that road to that community? I would like to know exactly using that ball park number, would the government consider putting forward in its business plans that it is going to cost $1 million a kilometre to build roads to gravel sources in our communities?

Mr. Speaker, as we all know, this is a joint appointment. I believe the last time it was advertised in the papers here. Would it also be advertised in the Nunavut papers? Also, would interested groups be able to take part by way of aboriginal organizations being notified about this appointment?

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. If we are talking about access road 177 which I believe is 20-odd kilometres, same as the road to Aklavik’s gravel source -- I think it was 22 kilometres -- can we use a rough ball estimate for these access roads? Are we talking $1 million a kilometre? If that is the case, could that be the basis of building a road from Aklavik to the gravel source in regards to the gravel source based on that estimate of $18 million for 20 kilometres?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Minister can also assist me by way of the community businesses and also finding ways of why they are not being considered when it comes to tenders, which could be either sole sourced or basically as and when tenders, where these businesses are already existing. You don’t need somebody driving from Inuvik or flying from Inuvik to provide a plumbing job where you have a plumber in the community. Why is it that you are not considering local tenders? If you are not doing that, I would like to ask the Minister, can he talk to the people in the Inuvik office? Why are they...

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. In regard to an all-weather access road, basically it’s a capital project of this government to gravel sources. Every community should have access to their gravel sources. I’d like to point out that in regard to the $6 million here, why is it that communities who are trying to get dollars to get to their access for gravel are having such a tough time, yet we’re able to approve this budget here? How many communities are out there that have built roads to their gravel sources and used other capital projects, regardless of if it’s a community access road project or in...