Shane Thompson

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Just to follow up on my colleague's question, what is a controllable asset? Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Yesterday my colleague from Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh asked the Minister of Transportation a question about the second bundle of the Building Canada Plan. Mr. Speaker, can the Minister please clarify if the government's approach, the federal government, will be with the second bundle as a package deal or is it broken down project by project? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I again thank the Minister for his answer. I am a little confused with the responses that I got in my e-mail and today. It is a little bit different. Can the Minister please provide me with a historical cost to operate all the ferries of the NWT for the past three years including any over time?

Mr. Speaker, today you heard my Member’s statement about the ferry service in Fort Simpson. Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Transportation did attend a Chamber of Commerce meeting in Fort Simpson regarding this issue on May 12th. I thank him for attending that and speaking on behalf of the government. The next day, on May 13th, I sent the Minister a question and asked has the department done a cost analysis of operating the ferry service for those extra two hours. The response I received today was: “the Department of Transportation acknowledges a question received from the Chamber of Commerce to...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today, Mr. Speaker, I would like to address a number of things regarding our ferry services at Fort Simpson. First off, I would like to thank the Department of Transportation Fort Simpson's staff, both in the office and out in the field, for the great service they provided. They are very much about serving the people of the NWT and I thank them for this. Mr. Speaker, I continue to fully support the Fort Simpson Chamber of Commerce's efforts to have the M.V. Lafferty's hours of service extended by two hours every morning. During my election campaign I spoke to a number...

I thank the Minister for his answer. Yesterday we had heard they're looking at different projects. Is the federal government looking at different projects within this bundle or dealing with the whole bundle together?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I thank the Minister for his answer. I look forward to getting that information. Mr. Speaker, will the Minister have his department look into the feasibility of moving the ferry landing further up the yard to get away from the low squats at the current location and alternatives such as a floating bridge or causeway using the island further up the river as part of their strategic plan? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I thank the Minister for this answer. However, then, how can the Minister come out and say that due to fiscal restraint or fiscal responsibility we can't do anything without a study being done? Thank you. Can you please explain that?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today, Mr. Speaker, I would like to recognize three people in the gallery here. Respected elder from Wrigley, Gabe Hardisty, Mr. Nitsiza from Behchoko, Yellowknife, or wherever, colleague and friend, and Ms. Jennifer Williams who I had the opportunity to perform her wedding in Fort Simpson on Mackenzie/Fort Liard River. Thank you.

This will be my final follow-up question. When will the Minister be able to communicate this information to the smaller communities? Because I know bundle number two… Some of the access roads are part of that project. When will that information be communicated to our communities?