Mr. Speaker, I want to assure Members of this House, specifically Mr. Abernethy, that the department does have a heart. The department is working on the schedule.

I want to thank the Member for bringing this issue to my attention. I will be reviewing this issue with my staff and ensuring that when there’s specific issues such as cold weather, we have a provision there to allow people to come into our office a little earlier than the scheduled time we had posted for the public.

Mr. Speaker, is the Member saying that we use the Deh Cho model? I’m not going to make the presumption that the Deh Cho model is a good model to use.

I’ll commit to look at this request by the Member in terms of what’s been done so far to initiate the Peel River Bridge project. I’ll look at it, and I’ll be happy to sit down with the Member. I’d like to have my colleague see if we want to proceed further. I’ll ask the department to dust the information off and bring it to my attention. I’ll be happy to sit down with the Member and talk about it.

Mr. Speaker, as I indicated to the House and to the Member, we are looking at bridges in certain areas for communities and regions in terms of economic development, such as he mentioned. We are certainly looking at the area of Tsiigehtchic in terms of improving that crossing, in terms of having a plan, an initiative to increase the winter crossing there.

Certainly, the Peel River is high on our list in terms of looking at infrastructure to increase development into the communities such as the Bear River and other bridges that we see desperately need to be in place to support the economic...

Mr. Speaker, again I thank the Member for bringing the constituent’s concerns to my attention. I would look at the policies and reasons and be willing to work with the Member on this specific issue in terms of the new general identification cards and the policy that we have in place. I would be happy to work with the Member on this issue.

It gives me great pleasure to recognize four elders from Sahtu, specifically Deline Elder Andrew-John Kenny, Mr. Baton, Mr. Modeste, Mr. Alfred Taniton — four of the wise men of the Sahtu Dene.

Mr. Chairman, the department is going through their inventory. They are looking at the culverts in and around this area, in terms of 1973, and they are looking at all the culverts in the Northwest Territories. They are looking at what it will cost to replace them, and they’re updating information and reprioritizing some of the work that they have to do with regard to the culverts. There are another 54 bridged culverts, as noted, needing some form of rehabilitation.

They are looking at their costing, as the Premier alluded to. There is a process we’re going to enter into, looking to replace or...

I’d like to recognize Mrs. Villuence at the other end and also, in the gallery, Bernadette and also to Beth.

Mr. Speaker, residents of the Sahtu were shocked to learn that on Friday, February 8, an armed stand-off was in progress in the town of Norman Wells. The incident disrupted school, business and many residents. Thankfully, the incident ended Saturday when the gunman surrendered to the police. I was in Norman Wells over the weekend and witnessed first-hand the professional approach taken by the RCMP and many others in defusing this potentially tragic situation.

I met with the released hostages and was alarmed at the trauma they had experienced during and after the ordeal. These brave citizens...

I thank the Member from Tu Nedhe for the invitation. I look forward to driving with the Member in the springtime or the summer. I propose that we drive when it’s a convenient time for both of us and when it seems most beneficial to the people of Fort Resolution. I’ll be happy to also meet with the people in Fort Resolution and the contractors and to discuss some of the issues of Highway 6 with the Member once we’ve finished driving that section of the road.

Mr. Speaker, I understand there’s a longstanding need to convene construction and improve the road between Fort Resolution and Pine Point, the one the Member referenced, and the section of highway to Fort Resolution. This section of highway is very close to lake level, and that can be quite unstable, especially during the springtime.

Mr. Speaker, the Department of Transportation estimates that the total job would cost up to $56 million. I’m continually looking to see how my department can begin the priority work required to improve the road safety on Highway 6 to ensure Fort Resolution...