Robert Bouchard

Just for my clarity, then, this is a payment we’re going to make to an entity that takes in all the partners in the fibre optic link.

Mr. Chair, is there any expectation over the next few years to start to contribute more to this fund?

That’s it. Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, not that it’s that important, but I’m wondering, because I think this is an important issue, but not that the cost is an important issue, but does the department have any estimates of what the rollout cost of this program would be to start?

Mr. Speaker, has the department looked at other regions where they have implemented these units? Have we re-introduced or re-created the program? I know some of the issues that the department had in the past, they’ve basically created their own system and then we found out there were flaws because we never looked at other jurisdictions. Has the department looked into the other jurisdictions?

I just look forward to seeing the way the structure is completed once we have the project up and running and the entity, how it’s going to be run.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I just have a question about the fibre optic link contribution, the $7 million. Is that an interest cost or can we capitalize it?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today I rise to discuss one of the commissions that are going around the Northwest Territories, the NWT Electoral Boundaries Commission. I’d like to talk about this commission and its involvement throughout the communities. Right now they are in the process of doing public consultation and we’ve given them direction to go out in the Northwest Territories and get opinions from the residents of the Northwest Territories to see what we do for electoral districts. Do we want 18, 19 or 21 MLAs?

They had a meeting last night in Hay River and it was very poorly attended, sadly...

The other area of interest of mine is, obviously, dredging, and this goes in line with marine. The Minister has already committed to providing some financial assistance to looking at the Hay River dredging, but I’m just wondering if the department is looking to roll out more of a plan for dredging. I’m not just concerned about Hay River dredging. I think there are some other areas of concern. Dredging, you know, maybe some, potentially, in Inuvik and some in Norman Wells. What is the department looking at as far as a dredging program through the Northwest Territories?

Thank you, Madam Chair. My questions are along the ferry operation as well. I know the Minister has answered some of them with Mr. Dolynny’s questions, but I’m just wondering about the strategy that the department is going to come with all the ferries. I have heard also that the ferry in Fort McPherson, they would like to upgrade it as well. I’m just wondering when the department is going to analyze and decide if they’re going to move the Merv Hardie up to Tsiigehtchic, maybe the Louis Cardinal moves up to Fort McPherson, and then we would have a spare ferry. When would the department be...