Michael McLeod

I apologize for missing the question. I wasn’t clear on that area of questioning. Mr. Chairman, we have undertaken to access some dollars from the federal government through the P3 Canada Program to do an assessment and a study of a portion of the winter road for consideration for realignment. That process is already underway and we are in the position where we’ve put out an RFP to do a study on this section of road.

Mr. Chairman, the concept of having the Deh Cho loop is a good one and certainly something that we support. The road is a part of our Territory that is very scenic. There is a lot of wildlife in the area and it’s still virtually very pristine. However, during the spring months, during the spring thaw we have many challenges as the road becomes very wet. There are issues with drainage and we have a very poor sub-grade. It was a road that was built many years ago and it’s at a point in its life where it needs to be reconstructed and we have undertaken to start that process. We’re on our third...

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. This is an issue that has been discussed a number of times over the years. We have also continued to engage on those discussions with different agencies, including our tourism folks in NWT. We have identified this as a potential project in our Airport Development Plan that we have for the long-term strategy. Right now we still haven’t put together a business case that would warrant an extension. Of course, we are interested. We just don’t have it ready to be brought forward at this point. It would still require a lot of discussion and being able to demonstrate it is...

Mr. Chairman, we hear the recommendation and we will see what the other departments are doing. As far as we are aware, we are following the template that is set out and if there is a way that we can get rid of the budget line listed as other, we will certainly do so.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I’d like to thank the Members for the comments they’ve made and the concerns they’ve raised. The comments around the Deh Cho Bridge, of course, have been consistent. The project is a very massive undertaking from a government standpoint and probably one of the biggest projects in the Northwest Territories at this point. The project initially was put together with concerns to address a number of concerns that were being raised, concerns of safety, concerns of potential environment contamination, concerns over greenhouse gas, and of course to remove the bottleneck that...

Mr. Chairman, we have in several communities done the very thing the Member is suggesting. Not all have continued to deliver, of course, but it is something we certainly can suggest to the community. I believe and expect that that has happened already, but we will make the gesture to the Municipality of Paulatuk. Of course, it would be up to them whether they wanted to agree to take it on or not. Thank you.

Yes, Mr. Chair.

Mr. Chairman, this is a program where we work with the communities to try to schedule visits. We certainly have room to enhance those visits. We try to allow the community to set the agenda or set the schedule. If there’s a need to go into Mr. Jacobson’s riding, we just need an invitation and we’ll have our staff in with a mobile unit.

Mr. Chairman, with me today on my right I have Mr. Russell Neudorf, deputy minister of Transportation. On my left I have Mr. Daniel Auger, the assistant deputy minister of Transportation.

Mr. Chairman and Committee of the Whole, I would like to present for your review the Department of Transportation’s main estimates for 2011-12.

The main estimates before you detail the funding requirements to carry out the plans outlined within the department’s 2011-12 business plan. This plan will ensure the protection and enhancement of the Territory’s transportation infrastructure and supports our primary mission of proving for the safe, secure, accessible and reliable movement of people and goods, while looking towards the future at the needs of individuals and businesses.

For 2011-12, we...