Kevin A. Menicoche

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. It's just a timing issue, Mr. Speaker. I believe we have enough time to repair the ferry this weekend and have it in the water running for the travelling public by 6:00 a.m. Monday. However, with the new pressing situation of the shortage of aviation fuel, the trucks and the tankers will be given priority when the ferry is ready to run. Transportation is closely monitoring the situation and will provide a travel advisory to pilots and the aviation industry if it really gets severely critical, Mr. Speaker. Mahsi.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am not quite sure where the Member is getting his information, but the ice from Beaver Lake, which is a huge consideration for the ferry operations around Fort Providence, has always been taken into consideration. Just yesterday, that ice let go, so I don’t believe that the river was free of ice where we could have launched our ship, Mr. Speaker. Thank you very much.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Absolutely, the Deh Cho Bridge has been on the books not only of this Legislature, but on the minds of our Northerners for many, many years. I think it’s about 50 years, even, Mr. Speaker. However, I’m proud to be the Minister that is looking after this now and it’s something that our government has really considered a priority and we’d like to move forward with it. The Member is asking for more involvement. Certainly, we’ve briefed committee before and I can commit to brief committee for further details soon, Mr. Speaker. Thank you very much.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Our government and this department continue discussions with Inuvik-Tuk road committee and we are considering it seriously. In fact, we had provided the Hamlet of Tuktoyaktuk with $25,000 in the past and the federal government has committed some funding towards the engineering and survey work required for the road to source 177. So we’ve continued to move forward on this agenda item that is very important to the Member. Mahsi.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I’d just like to say that the Premier and I are very supportive of the initiative that you continue to raise in this House. It is a good initiative of the honourable Member and something that we always support are ground base initiatives. That project specifically will be addressed in the fullness of time, Mr. Speaker. Thank you.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Just for clarification, the negotiation is happening with the Deh Cho Bridge Corporation and, as government, we’re supportive of the initiatives of the Deh Cho Bridge Corporation, but we’re outside the process. We’re not really privy to their discussions. While in fact just last week the Premier had sent a letter to the Prime Minister himself saying, look, in terms of the federal government helping us with this project, it’s a good project for Canada, it’s a good project for northerners, and that’s the stage it is at, Mr. Speaker. We have had many, many...

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Once again I’ll commit to continue to share that with committee. In fact, we’re trying to find a time slot sometime early next week. Some of the details the Member is referring to, of course, are in the concession agreement and being negotiated and is confidential at this point. However, once we’re in committee, we’ll be able to share as much as possible that we can with the Regular Members there, Mr. Speaker. Thank you very much.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The responsibility for providing necessary fuel does not lie with the department. However, we do facilitate discussions with suppliers and users of the fuel. In this case, once again, it is the early shut down of the ice bridge that led to this. Hopefully, some of the few things that we are doing which, of course, long term is the Deh Cho Bridge. It will help alleviate these kinds of problems. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I should have added that there is good news for the Fort Providence ferry. It will be running this coming Monday. It is good for the travelling public.

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As well, the suppliers are aware of this. They do have stock waiting at Providence right now to cross on that first ferry to provide for aircraft fuel for the city of Yellowknife. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The tolls are laid out in the Deh Cho Bridge Act. It is $6 right now plus inflationary factors as the years go on. As well, I can commit to having a briefing with the committee any time soon. But as for divulging the information to the public right now, Mr. Speaker, where sensitive negotiations are ongoing, that is something that is just not doable at this time. I can reassure that the real winners of this project are the North and northerners, Mr. Speaker. Thank you.

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