Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Over the past few years, I have spoken to the Minister of Infrastructure with concerns about our ferry service. In the past, we have seen lower water levels, which have caused disruption to the services. I have reached out to the Minister of Infrastructure numerous times to talk about different options, such as moving the ferry line and looking at various options across the river and potential bridge options. I realize some of these options are not feasible at this time. However, this year, we are seeing low water levels already, a very different break-up, and we could be seeing ourselves in deeper troubles this year. Therefore, I would like to revisit this issue with the Minister of Infrastructure. Will the Minister be willing to approach the Canadian Coast Guard to come to Fort Simpson and survey the area around the Fort Simpson landing and alternate routes there? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you. Minister of Infrastructure.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I certainly will contact the responsible authority to accurately survey the river. We can do that around the ferry landings and the possible alternative routes. As I said in my previous comments here with the Fort McPherson ferry, low water is going to be an issue. We know that already because of the way things are looking. The one thing about the Fort Simpson ferry and that crossing, there is so much silt and gravel in that thing that the conditions can change on a regular basis and in a very short period of time, and there is also the gravel bar issue that is in the middle of the river there. That is part of our navigational issues usually in the fall time, and that could be something that we may experience earlier in this year.
I agree with the Minister. First of all, I have to thank the department and the staff for doing a great job, for getting the ferry on the 15 average. The 15-year average was the day we actually got in there, even with all of these difficulties, so I thank him. Realizing the problems about the silt and gravel, has the Minister looked at the feasibility of dredging the area causing these problems for the ferry?
With respect to dredging and waterworks, they are extremely difficult to get approvals for. We know that. The current amount of debris and silt, as I said, that are in the river carries, I have been advised that any dredging operation would be of minimal value. I think I have mentioned that in this House before. For those of you who have been on the Liard River Ferry in the summer time, it is a very dirty river, and dredging might be of very minimal value, doing that. We do know that the low water in the channel that we used last fall, as I have said, with that gravel bar presents a problem. Dredging may be an option, and we will continue to look at what our options are going to be going forward this year.
Listening to the Minister, he has talked about and I think the department is looking at the challenges we are facing, so I thank them for that. Has the department looked at this situation to come up with various options, and can he talk about some of them here today?
As the Member knows, he has asked me this question before in the House, and, with climate change in effect, we are monitoring these things very closely. We are looking at all options, up- and downstream, particularly at Fort Simpson right now. Being in the fiscal situation we are in, if I had the required funding, we could probably pursue some of these things, but I think we are going to have to continue to monitor the situation and look at all options going forward.
Final oral question. Member for Nahendeh.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I realize we are in financial difficulties, and we are seeing some of the challenges. Will the Minister commit to having his staff reach out to the leadership and actually have a public meeting to discuss some of these options and hear the concerns from the residents so we can move forward? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Our regional staff in the area are always prepared to meet with the leadership and the community. If that is the desire of the community, they can certainly have the Member send me a request for that, and we can have our regional staff sit down and discuss options and hear their concerns. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you. Oral questions. Member for Yellowknife Centre.
