Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is to the Minister of Transportation in regards to the Bear River Bridge, a 470-metre span structure crossing the Great Bear River-Tulita junction. The leadership in Tulita -- the chief, mayor, and councillors -- recently concluded their meetings in support and preparation for this and they would like to undertake discussions to engage with the Minister and the department on a project-readiness approach. My question to the Minister is let's take advantage of that energy. Let's look at the need for it. It would also create confidence in the outside investors, as well as giving this one of five communities in the Sahtu better access to granular, which is on the north side of the Bear River. My question to the Minister is if he's willing to move towards setting up a 50/50 combination approach for a bridge committee. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Minister of Transportation.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Bear River Bridge is a very important part of the Mackenzie Valley Highway application to the New Building Canada Plan. To single out Bear River Bridge as a standalone project is a little premature at this time. It's something that can be submitted, possibly, if the federal government comes back with a request for shovel-ready projects, but at this point it's submitted as part of the Mackenzie Valley Highway which is a bigger and larger process. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
My next question is really, probably not appropriate, but I'm going to ask it anyway. Considering we've got no project, so I suppose we're going to think about asking this question and hopefully the Minister will respond. Is there some preliminary resource dollars for a project introductory or a stakeholders' introductory meeting between his department and the hamlet leadership?
At this time, we don't have any money to put towards what the Member is asking, but we can sit down with the leadership. We are planning a trip into the Sahtu in the near future, so I would look forward to sitting down with the Member and discussing the possibilities of discussing that with the leadership.
Masi. Oral questions. Member for Deh Cho.
