David Ramsay

Mr. Chair, in the short term I believe we are ready. In the long term, and that is when we look at the development, commercialization, production perhaps going on in the Sahtu, that we are going to be looking at things like the Mackenzie Valley Highway, fibre optic link, the Mackenzie Gas Project, the possibility of another oil pipeline south of Norman Wells. These are all things that are going to be a part of the equation when it comes to the development in the Sahtu.

Certainly, we need to find more money. The Department of Transportation is not alone. When I say that, I was recently at the...

Mr. Speaker, it gives me great pleasure to congratulate the Department of Transportation for receiving the Silver Award for Innovation from the Institute of Public Administrators of Canada.

Every year the institute recognizes world-class innovators for improving public service in Canada. This year the Department of Transportation is nationally recognized as one of these innovators. This prestigious award acknowledges the hard work of many individuals and provides an opportunity to share the influence of their good ideas with the rest of Canada.

Mr. Speaker, the award recognizes the department’s...

I appreciate the Member’s concern about the runway length in a community like Deline. As he’s referenced, the runway in Deline is almost 4,000 feet. I know when I was on the Regular Members’ side, the Member had brought this concern up a number of times in committee and in the House. Since I became Minister a year ago, I haven’t received a formal proposal from the airline or the community. I’d be more than happy to try to work, like we did in Fort Good Hope, to try to come up with a solution if an extension is required in Deline, to try to find a way to work toward that. But, again, I haven’t...

It would be 27 total. Six would be paved and the remainder would be gravelled, 21 gravelled.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I’m not sure why the Member wouldn’t have the project substantiation on the runway stabilization. I’ll go to Mr. Neudorf to provide an explanation on how that money is going to be spent.

Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman. We will only have one witness with me today to review the capital plan for the Department of Transportation and that is Deputy Minister Russ Neudorf.

I hope so, Mr. Chairman.

Again, I thank the Member for his concerns and I believe it’s the hourly operating costs are more on the Merv Hardie. I don’t have the specifics on exactly in comparison to the Louis Cardinal, but I’d be more than happy to get the department to put together a cost comparison on both vessels and get that to the Member, and we can have a discussion after the Member has a look at the numbers. Thank you.

Yes, I’ve given a commitment to the Member that we will take a look at the situation in Nahanni. I’ve also got the policy here with me. Sometimes when things like this happen, they don’t necessarily conform to the policy that’s there, and we need to take a look at how best to help those residents in Nahanni that need assistance, both the hunters and trappers.

Okay, thank you. Maybe I’ll get you to just get that on record and then I’ll come back, Mr. Chair.