Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have questions for the Minister of Transportation today. It has been at least 10 days since I brought up the issue of dredging in the Northwest Territories being a requirement and a need.
Has the Minister sent off any communication to the federal Minister responsible for dredging to deal with this issue? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Bouchard. The honourable Minister of Transportation, Mr. Beaulieu.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yes, I have. Thank you.
I’m going to have to pry the details from the Minister. Can I get more detailed information? Was that letter signed off, and which federal Ministers was it cc’d to and who was it communicated to? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
The letter was sent to the Minister responsible for Fisheries and Oceans. He is the Minister responsible for dredging. I don’t recall all the cc’s, but I believe we sent a copy to the Minister of Transportation and the Minister of Public Works. Public Works Canada were the last people to put any money into dredging back in 2012, at the end of the fiscal year. That’s when the last $60,000 was spent on the dredging program in Hay River. It was essentially pointing to the issue at Hay River. There was some issue with barging and getting in and out of the port in Hay River. Thank you.
The Members have been talking about dredging in the Northwest Territories. I have heard some rumours of numbers out there.
Does the department have any estimates on what the dredging costs in Hay River and throughout the Northwest Territories would be? Thank you.
I don’t have the number for the dredging of the Hay River port, although we do have that number at the department. I don’t have the number here with me. I don’t believe we have a number for all of the dredging that would be required for the entire waterway where the company out of Hay River would haul freight. I don’t have that full number, but I can let the Member know what the number is for dredging the Hay River, our estimate. Also, we can get estimates for other parts of the waterway. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu. Final, short supplementary, Mr. Bouchard.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Obviously, I would take that information. I look forward to that.
I wonder if I could also get a copy of the letter that was sent to the federal Minister. Thank you.
Yes, we can provide that letter to both Members for Hay River. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu. The honourable Member for Weledeh, Mr. Bromley.
