Wally Schumann

This will remain to be seen. It depends on the O and M on this project and federal funding going forward. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. As I have clearly stated, we have put in both of our applications for both these projects with the federal government. Both of these projects are of high priority for our department. Safety is number one. As I have said, we spent money on this Frank Channel bridge right now to get some life out of this thing, but the Slave Geological Province is also a clear mandate to the Government of the Northwest Territories, and one that I have been committed to trying to secure funding for. Based on our applications, the Slave Geological Province is my preferred priority over the...

I can certainly get my staff to give me a quick update on it. From what I know about ice roads being in this portfolio now for the last three-and-a-half years is: we have significant challenges, even with the Great Bear Lake Deline crossing. It has given us a lot of grief over the last couple of years. Even on that one, with the very short ice crossing that is there, it has very similar challenges that we have on Great Slave Lake, with pressure ridges and stuff, as the Member has clearly stated in his Member's statement. We are planning to look at rerouting the overland route for that in the...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I imagine there are other Members in this Legislative Assembly whose communities are waiting to hear back on their funding. We are close to the end of the year on this thing. This fund is almost tapped right out, but I can certainly look into which outstanding applications the Member has in his riding and get back to him where those applications are at. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. As you know, there was an allocation towards the Frank Channel bridge originally through the old program, the federal program. When we went out and did consultation with the community of Behchoko and industry, it was clearly relied to us at that point that there was a need to have a look at the realignment and a possibility of a new bridge at that point with discussion with these people, one without a top on it because it's a chokehold for industry going north from there. It is the only choke point in the Northwest Territories for industry. With that, we have decided to...

I don't have a problem tabling any of this information. Clearly the Member is playing on words, here. We are doing our due diligence to try to improve the system. We are working with CATSA Plus. I want to get even more information out there for the general public, and I want them to know this. When we work with CATSA's system, we have to supply the space for free. We have to supply the electricity for free. We have to supply the heat for free. It's not like this is just some ad hoc thing we're doing. We are trying to improve times at the airport for the general public.

As I said, there is a lot...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. All I can say as a comment to that is we can have a look at it through the next business planning process, but we don't know who the next government or the next Minister is. The one thing I do want to say about this fund, though, is it has been successful. We have been spending. There are a lot of good projects out there, helping these communities. I have always brought up, every time we talk with Members about this pot of money, that somehow let's find a way to marry it with the small employment fund that we have increased significantly for the small communities in the...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. As far as I know, we don't have any more than some staff time going towards this, and some small planning that we are doing, some announcements that we expect to be coming later in the year around this project. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

I am not sure if the Member is listening to what I am saying. I am saying CATSA Plus sets their own service levels. Right now, there is a 1.2 rating for the lines. To go to two lines, there is going to have to be a significant increase of traffic. As I said in the House the other day, we are monitoring the amount of traffic that is going there, the wait times. We are doing it manually. We are going to put in an automated system to be able to collect this data to be able to say, you know, CATSA, it clearly states that we need to have two lines in the Yellowknife Airport. Until we get that...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Yes, we would entertain that application around that basis. One thing I want to point out: that is a very limited amount that we have in the community access program, $1.508 million. I can tell you that goes awfully quickly. It is an application-based, first come, first served, but the Member is correct that that money could be accessed in that manner if a community wishes to apply for it. Thank you, Mr. Chair.