Robert Bouchard

Thank you, Madam Chair. I’ll start my questions with the Deh Cho Bridge and the process of operation there. I’m just wondering how the department is handling the maintenance of the Deh Cho Bridge this winter and has that cost been exactly what we expected. I’ve heard that we have staff on 24-hour call to salt and gravel the bridge. Have there been any additional costs than what we expected on the Deh Cho Bridge?

That’s all. Thank you very much.

My other question is about the Merv Hardie. I’ve heard that they need to potentially do an upgrade to the engines and stuff like that. Would that be an operating cost or would we be capitalizing any kind of major engine repairs to that ship? Obviously, we’d do that before we would send it up to Tsiigehtchic, I would assume.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I just had one more follow-up question. My question was about Highway No. 7. Again, Mr. Menicoche is probably happy I’m asking this question. About the maintenance – and we talked about spring maintenance and getting maintenance done early – I know that was a large issue and I think that was probably one of the successes of last year’s roadway, was to get the maintenance done earlier. I’m just wondering if the department has the same commitment to get that maintenance on Highway No. 7 done early in the springtime.

My next line of questioning would be toward the Sahtu winter road. Obviously, some of the other Members had talked about the closures and some of the difficulties there. I’m just wondering what kind of feedback the department has gotten with some of the corporate companies. I know some of the corporations have provided us money for the winter road to get that up and operational as soon as possible. Have we seen much flack from that when the closure was going on, and do we expect that corporate sponsorship to continue?

Thank you. Yes, I’m just looking for a little more detail on that business case. I’m wondering if the department would be… Obviously this is a capital project, I understand, but I’m just wondering if the department would be investigating some of the additional business case savings that the territorial government would have. Obviously, it’s easier if we’re saving similar to the toll system, it would be an easier case if we could say that we were saving $2 million a year in transportation costs because we don’t have to fly in and out of the community, items like that. Is the department looking...

My next area, obviously, would be the interest in the Tuk to Inuvik highway, but my question would be what does it currently cost us to build the winter road, operate the winter road from Tuk to Inuvik.

Along the lines of the bridge as well, can the Minister maybe provide me some of the analysis of the toll collection, collecting the tolls? Has that been what we expected and also the other side to it, the expenses? Has the toll system been working effectively and have there been any additional costs to tracking of this or any additional expenses to doing the toll collections?

Thank you, Madam Chair. My opening comments for the Department of MACA deal mainly with what the community of Hay River has been dealing with the department for some time. We’ve had the opportunity to meet with them over the last couple of months. The community’s obviously concerned about the formula funding and the way that some of the formula funding has been affecting the community of Hay River.

The way the formula is calculated out for the last couple of years, Hay River has seen a major decrease in some of their funding. We continue to work with the department on finding ways to see if...

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?