Michael McLeod

Other jurisdictions have engaged in the process. Right now there’s only, I think, five companies that are considered to be certified. We are looking at the consequences of what it would mean to all the different departments involved and communities and their different contractors and different sizes of contractors. So it’s something being considered right now and we’ll be looking at it very seriously. Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, the answer is yes, we are considering it at this point.

Mr. Chairman, we have had correspondence back and forth on this issue. The Member has raised concern regarding the condition of this operator’s shelter in one of his communities and we have indicated to him that we’d be making some minor upgrades to ensure that the building continues to be useful and viable. This project is in our plans, in our five-year capital needs, and is scheduled to begin in 2011. So we’re very reluctant to invest a whole lot of money as this building is going to be replaced very quickly. Thank you.

I’m glad that several Members have raised the issue and concern regarding the amount of funding in the Access Road Program during our presentation. Yesterday it was raised by a number of Members also. So I certainly will have a discussion with our officials in the Department of Transportation and also people in Finance for consideration for the next budget that comes forth. Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, the payment is going to be the subsidy that is going to be provided to the Deh Cho Bridge Corporation, $2 million and a portion of the operations that we currently operate right now through the ferry service and the ice bridge construction, minus the operation of the toll that we are going to be holding back. We expect that to be around $300,000. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. That’s a difficult question to answer, as I sit as a member of that committee and so does the Member that’s asking the question. Certainly I think this is a very worthy discussion that needs to take place and I certainly would be pleased to be part of that discussion with the Rural and Remote committee. Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, I believe I said the payment was due in December for $2.5 million.

Mr. Speaker, once again, we don’t tell our captains what to say when it comes to closure of the ferry services. It is the same as we can’t tell the captains of an airplane when they should fly. Mr. Speaker, that is against federal regulations. We will not interfere politically as to the operations. Weather permitting, ice conditions permitting and safety factors all considered, we will do our best.

Mr. Speaker, at the same time, this may be a very unusually warm winter with the climate change. That channel may stay open all winter. We don’t have the resources to operate all winter. We can...

There are no liens against the Government of the Northwest Territories. There has been a lien placed on ATCON, the company that is doing the piers right now -- that’s Ruskan -- and there is also a lien filed against the Deh Cho Bridge Corporation by Structal, which has been there for some time, I believe. Thank you.

The Member is asking for a very specific price tag. I can inform the House that we have, I believe, it’s a position and a half dedicated to the project and related expenses for these people. Thank you.