Wally Schumann

As I've stated, this is early conversation; the tender has already been awarded; the proponents are starting on the project. If there's other transportation issues the community wants to discuss with the Minister of Transportation I will gladly have a phone conversation and see where this goes from there.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As I stated in the House earlier that our staff has gone and met with the community and the band and discussed the contract that was put out to tender. I stand by that. If the community and chief and council want to have a conversation with me I'm willing to open up to have a phone conversation and have preliminary discussions with them in that manner. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Once this stuff has been sorted out and no matter where it is, we will send our staff in there to have dialogue with the community.

I want to make a comment on the Member's statement earlier today about the weather and the conditions in the Beau-Del there. I said it's been very challenging for all contractors in the region and I appreciate all the work they've done to get the work done that they did this year. We will be finishing up the border to kilometre 74 to Peel River Crossing this year because that work isn't completed. The section of highway from 60.5 to 61 will be lifted and that work is to be carried out over the next summer, and also in the next season we will be resurfacing the crushed gravel from kilometre 30...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Based on projections of the tourism, that's one of the reasons we're putting in the 20 site additional sites, drive-in and tent sites, but it's one of those things, however, it's going to have to coincide with people using the campground as we move forward, and we'll try to make less impact as possible to the people that are using the campground. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

As this Assembly knows, I'm a small business owner prior to coming to public life, and I know the importance of sustaining a small business. As of today, I actually had an opportunity to meet with a group that is working with BDIC, it's called Futurpreneur and it lays out the groundwork from the business idea to establishing a business plan to working through to marketing to become a successful business as well as matching up entrepreneurs with mentors. This is the one of things that BDIC is doing through one of the initiatives through the Department of ITI. As I just found out about it today...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. We would be following all procurement procedures to probably put this out at tender or RFP for this particular item that the Member's asking on. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'm glad to inform the Member that ITI, who currently distributes SEED, is reviewing the outcomes and effectiveness of the program and the delivery of SEED programs, and this is something that we'll be hopefully finishing up by the end of this fiscal year and be able to present to the standing committee. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I couldn't comment on the warranty agreements because depending on when it goes out to tender, if it's a General Motors product, Ford or a Dodge they would have to make arrangements with the dealer in Fort Simpson to carry on warranty work. So it's hard to say how that would roll out. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

I'm not aware of any verbal commitments made by the department.