Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I’d like to follow up from my Member’s statement with the Department of Transportation Minister. Specifically, on the Dettah road, we’re very happy to see that project going forward and some funds committed this year. Just towards completion of the entire project, what’s needed...I’m wondering if the department has a cost estimate for reconstruction of the entire Dettah road. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Bromley. The honourable Minister of Transportation, Mr. Michael McLeod.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’ll have to interpret that to mean completion of this road as we saw and budgeted for or I’m sure the number of issues he’s raised in his Member’s statement are what he’s suggesting that we incorporate. At this point, we have targeted $2 million for this upcoming year and a further $2 million to do work on the Dettah road. The work will include engineering work, the surveys and all the designs and gravel production. As the Member knows, this road had very little in terms of real engineering structure and was constructed many years ago when most of the material was clay, and at that time there was very little in terms of consideration for drainage. So that’s the work that we’re focusing on. Down the road we may look at going the final step and look at putting a dust suppressant and possibly chipseal or something of that nature. Thank you.
That was a very neat, I suppose, side step, if the Minister is looking for praise from that standpoint. The question was plain: What is the cost estimate for the reconstruction of the entire Dettah road? I’m just trying to put things in context. I think I complimented the Minister on the funding for this year and I understand there might be funding for next year. So I guess I’ll have to ask the question again, Mr. Speaker: What is the cost estimate for the reconstruction of the entire Dettah road; to get the whole Dettah road up to standard? Thank you.
I want to thank the Member for the acknowledgement. Last year we didn’t have any money for this road and this year and next year we have a total of $4 million. As of now, that’s the money we have budgeted for investment and we will consider further work in other areas, as I mentioned earlier, for hard-topping the surface and possibly it may require further investment as we move forward. We have these dollars, this budget of $4 million currently that we’re focusing on. I have to state that this is the initial investment and I don’t have a final figure. Thank you.
I guess maybe we pulled another $2 million so we’re up to $4 million now. Good to know that that figure is public. I guess when I build a house or take on a project, I like to know what the full cost is for it. You know, I might build it in stages but...I’m just looking for what the full cost of the reconstruction of the Dettah road is. There’s, I believe, 11 kilometres there. I’m pretty sure that work’s been done, but if not, perhaps that could be done. Perhaps I could request that that be done. Will the Minister commit to getting that information?
I understand the Member is still building this House...
---Laughter
Mr. Speaker, right now, I can inform the Member we have earmarked $2 million for this year and $2 million for next year. That will bring us further along. As to a final figure, we’d be glad to share that and we will commit to providing all the information that we currently have gathered to the Member for his consideration and for his use. We’ll have that to him very shortly. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Final supplementary, Mr. Bromley.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. So I guess I’d just like to get confirmation from the Minister that, in fact, there is no estimate; he doesn’t even know what the reconstruction of the Dettah road will cost, nor does he have a plan in place to ensure the completion of this project. I’d just like to get that confirmation. Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Bromley. Mr. McLeod.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Not at all. We do have a plan and our plan is to spend $4 million on the Dettah road. We certainly can provide that information to the Member as we move forward. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. McLeod. The honourable Member for Nunakput, Mr. Jacobson.
