David Krutko

Mr. Chairman, the other issue I had on marine, I know it has come up several times especially from the region I represent, is dealing with the approaches in regards to ferry approaches, the amount of gravel that is being used. I know that this issue came up at a couple of meetings that were held with the department and the Gwich’in Tribal Council. Also this has come up at the Gwich’in assemblies. I know that there have been concerns raised from myself in this House about people that still had used those waterways for traditional activities such as fishing during the summer months and the...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my questions will probably best be directed to the Minister of Public Works and Services in regard to the bidding process this government has. Like I stated, most of the projects in the past have had some major cost overruns and in some cases have doubled in cost. Back then we used to use the Class D estimates to come up with the figure or the number that we were looking at. I know that the department has made a decision to look at Class C estimates. So I’d just like to ask the Minister, have we seen more accurate costs of those facilities and now we’re...

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I’m just supporting my colleague from the Sahtu. I know that, in most jurisdictions you go to, East Coast, you go to B.C., they have isolated communities, coastal communities who receive ferry services. It is a public service that they provide. Ferry service is a public service. I think that what Mr. Yakeleya is asking for is, has this government ever considered looking at providing services to coastal or communities that are isolated like other parts of Canada, either the east or west coasts in regards to ferry operations to those communities who can scavenge only...

Mr. Speaker, another project that comes to mind is the Inuvik Hospital which started off at $24 million and after all is said and done, the completed cost was $45.5 million. Again, double the cost.

Marine, page 11-25, activity summary, operations expenditure summary, $7.808 million. Mr. Yakeleya.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I, too, have similar issues, but not dealing with mushrooms, I’m talking more of natural products that people use for thousands of years where they make dry meat and dry fish. They basically pick berries in the fall time, they freeze it, keep it for the winter, it gets them through the whole season. Yet those traditional activities still go on in all our communities and there is a commercial market, but most if it is mostly through trade and barter and so if you want dry fish you go and see so and so, if you want dry meat you go see so and so. Through our local economies...

Okay. On highways, operations expenditure summary, activity summary, $54.220 million.

I noted that these projects seem to be one-offs, where we’re starting one here and one there. Do we have a long-term projected plan of how we’re going to look at expanding these systems in other communities? I know that the community of Tsiigehtchic has raised this at the Beaufort leaders’ meeting, because they have a fire hall right next to the power plant. It came up at the Beaufort leaders’ meeting why they can’t get residual heat from the power plant to heat the fire hall, which is the next building over. Right now it’s costing them a lot of money to heat the facility. The power plant’s...

Mr. Yakeleya.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Just following up on what I was saying earlier that there are already people in the business of providing residual heat in the communities, there is a company that’s established with the Gwich’in Development Corporation called Aadrii Energy, which is a joint venture between the Gwich’in Development Corporation and the Northwest Territories Power Corporation, who provides residual heat in Fort McPherson. They’ve put some $3 million or $4 million into this company and I’d just like to ask the Minister, I note that you have Inuvik listed in the suggested projects for...