Mr. Speaker, in support of our Government’s NWT Biomass Energy and Greenhouse Gas Strategies, the promotion and use of biomass technologies remains a priority for this government in its efforts to reduce energy costs and decrease greenhouse gas emissions.

With the ability to reduce the fossil fuel usage of a building by 80 to 90 percent, the Department of Public Works and Services’ early adoption of, and continued use of, renewable biomass energy technology is something I wish to highlight today.

By March 31st of this year, the Department will have installed 22 biomass systems in seven...

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Today with me to my immediate right is Russell Neudorf, deputy minister, Department of Transportation; to my far right, Jim Martin, director of corporate services; to my left, Daniel Auger, assistant deputy minister, Department of Transportation. Daniel will be retiring in May so this will be his last appearance for the main estimates.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I am pleased to present the 2015-2016 Main Estimates for the Department of Transportation. These estimates propose an operating budget of $119.5 million for 2015-2016, a decrease of $6.7 million, or 5.3 percent, from the 2014-2015 Main Estimates. Although, this includes budget reductions of almost $1.2 million, the reductions proposed have been selected to minimize the impact on the transportation system while maintaining safety and service levels that communities and industry rely on.

The department operates the NWT public transportation system to provide for the safe...

If it was viewed by the government that lease payments were not being made, then it becomes a problem lease. Then any of the departments would then go to the Finance department and have the Finance department’s collection division deal with it. So as soon as it’s identified as a problem lease, we would then move the file to Finance for collections.

I cannot confirm here whether or not the company that the Member refers to has lease arrears with the Department of Transportation. Thank you.

Thank you. The positions that are in Norman Wells are positions at the airport and airport operations. We could go back to the department, look at the airport operations. Right now, as the Member indicated, the individuals in Norman Wells report to the Inuvik office. So, if we looked at the reporting relationship from the airport in Norman Wells reporting to the airport division here in Yellowknife, if that’s the simple change that could be made without losing any efficiencies, we’ll look at that. Thank you.

We had received one proposal for sure going from Norman Wells south and also we have to discuss another proposal in Tulita going south again. Then there’s also another proposal for Fort Good Hope also heading south, so sort of on the Good Hope… With the exception of the Good Hope line, everything else would be on the Mackenzie Valley alignment. If we do fund those, it would be a substantial amount of summer work for sure, but right now we’re not in a position to fund any of those proposals. We’re looking at them and we’re talking with the federal government about the possibility of maybe...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. [Translation] We’re going to talk… [Translation ends]

Mr. Speaker, the second winter of construction on the Inuvik-Tuktoyaktuk Highway Project is in full swing with our contractor working 24 hours a day, seven days a week from both Inuvik and Tuktoyaktuk. Our contract partner, EGT Northwind, is focused on constructing new embankment and installing needed structures during the 20-week construction season, while continuing to train and employ Inuvik and northern residents on the largest new highway construction project underway in northern Canada.

Engineers with the...

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The inconsistency, as the Member referred to it, of the work that’s been done on Highway No. 6, Highway No. 5, Highway No. 7, Highway No. 1, is we are following the flow of the money. We had some BCP money that expired. We had some and those highways didn’t have some money. But Highway No. 6, we think we have the money now to complete it to chipseal state. Highway No. 5, we have to deal with the federal government, Parks Canada, because Highway No. 5 runs through Wood Buffalo National Park. So we’ve been having discussions with the federal people about their...

Yes, I do, Mr. Chairman.