David Krutko

Okay. We’ll take a short break, and we will begin with Bill 1, Interim Appropriation Act, 2008-2009.

The Committee of the Whole took a short recess.

I’d like to call the Committee of the Whole to order. We have Minister’s Statement 1-16(2), Minister’s Statement 9-16(2), and Bill 1, Interim Appropriation Act, 2008-2009. What is the wish of the committee, Mrs. Groenewegen?

Mr. Speaker, in regard to the new deal, I know the government still has some ownership or some control over certain things such as infrastructure, water treatment plants, and also maintaining and managing water treatment plants. Does the government have a plan in place as to exactly how they would allow the community to build capacity, take on those program responsibilities and also ensure that they have the resources to maintain and run the infrastructure in the future?

Mr. Speaker, my question is to the Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs in regard to the new deal that has been put out there over the last couple of years. There are concerns raised by the communities as to what happens over a five-year term we put on it. Is there going to be a suspension to this program? Exactly what is going to happen after five years?

Mr. Speaker, again, I believe the Minister said yes. I’d like to thank him for the $500,000, and I look forward to building my road.

Laughter.

I think it’s important, Mr. Speaker, that the Minister realizes that programs and services we do have are consistent and that they are also fairly distributed. I know we are looking at other communities. I know Tuk is asking for a similar arrangement. Again, I think the emergency we’re under is because of the effects of global warming, shore erosion, the amount of floods that we’re starting to see — they’re increasing — and the effect on capital, Mr...

Mr. Speaker, in regard to my Member’s statement about the road to the gravel source in Aklavik and also about not having it — it’s an essential service — I’d like to ask the Minister of Transportation…. In the last couple of years there has been some work that's ongoing between the Department of Transportation, the community of Fort McPherson and the residents of Aklavik for an all-weather road to connect the community of Aklavik to the Dempster Highway. Yet nowhere in the information I’ve been reviewing is there any capital investment in this idea.

I’d like to ask the Minister of...

Mr. Speaker, the committee has been considering Bill 1, Interim Appropriation Act, 2008-2009. I’m glad to report progress.

I call the Committee of the Whole back to order.

Mr. Speaker, as we all know, there are some major landfills in the Beaufort Sea in regard to oil and gas leases being let go. We start looking at the possibility of another boom again in the Beaufort. But in order to serve that industry, we have to ensure that we have the capacity by way of infrastructure to basically supply that industry, like we are with the mines.

I’d like to ask the Minister: has your department looked at any surveys for the Peel River in regard to a possible bridge?

Mr. Hawkins.