Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I have a few questions for the Minister of Infrastructure. Can the Minister give us a brief update on the work that was done to both the Abraham Francis and Louis Cardinal ferries this year? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Minister of Infrastructure.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I will try to make this quick and try to get some more questions in for everybody. The Louis Cardinal, this year we were doing paint and deck repairs, under way all this week. We installed four brand new engines in the Louis Cardinal this season during the winter. The department is working with Transport Canada to complete the vessel inspections on that and inspect the new engines and the hull to be conducted today with the federal government.
On the Abraham Francis, there are the ramps that are going to be replaced. One of them has been completed already, and we are hopefully going to have the other one completed this week. Paint and deck repairs are also being completed this week, and the Peel River is now clear of ice and we are working on the landing as things commence today. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Will the work that is being undertaken be completed on time and not hold up the operation of the ferry services?
As I have said, this work is commencing as we speak. If Members recall, last year, one of the hold-ups we had was Transport Canada officials who do the inspections got called away off to some other needy thing that they had to look after before they came back to the Member's riding to inspect the ferries, which held things up, but as things are going forward here for this season, it sounds like all the inspections will be done and the ferry should hopefully be in the water as early as Monday; and hopefully within three days of water testing, the ferries will be in operation.
That leads me to my next question, which he answered a part of, but when can my constituents expect to have services resumed for the summer? According to his math, that's May 31st.
As soon as we have Transport Canada approval to be in operation, the ferries will start operating. We are hoping, as I said, that probably the Fort McPherson ferry will be the first one in operation, and hopefully by May 28th or June 1st at the very latest would be the Tsiigehtchic ferry.
Masi. Oral questions. Member for Sahtu.
