David Krutko

Thank you. We’re hearing one thing from the deputy and hearing something else from the Minister. The deputy just stated that the municipalities can’t access this fund, it’s only the Department of Transportation. So, again, how can the Department of Transportation ensure those research dollars are spent on research in regard to shoreline erosion in communities?

Public Works and Services, activity summary, petroleum products division, infrastructure investment summary, total infrastructure investment summary, $1.265 million.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Aklavik is located on the west side of the Mackenzie Delta and, as we all know, global warming and shoreline erosion is a major problem. Mr. Speaker, I got a call, just before the House started, from the council in Aklavik with their concern with the shoreline erosion. Yet, Mr. Speaker, we, as government, realize that they had a major flood a number of years ago and they had to move the road inland because of the erosion on one of their service roads. Yet, Mr. Speaker, very little is being said from this government in regard to what we are doing to protect communities...

I just have a question with regard to the Building Canada Fund. Again, I mentioned earlier there is a pot of money that’s there for research and development and also for climate change. I’m wondering if the community is able to access that fund. The only department so far that has accessed that fund, I believe, is the Department of Transportation. So I’m wondering, is that also something that the communities are aware of, that there is research money dealing with climate change, and is there a possibility that those dollars can also be allocated to the communities.

Page 5-10, Public Works and Services, activity summary, petroleum products division, infrastructure. Mr. Yakeleya.

Mr. Speaker, again, if we put a bridge there, we wouldn’t have this problem. I think if the Minister put his emphasis on that, then we wouldn’t have to worry about the season, the rain. Again, this ferry operation is basically operated on the cable system. I believe the people that operate the ferry only have to have a Class 3 licence. You don’t need a Class 1. Again, it is a hydraulically operated ferry. There are no captains on this vessel. Again, it is a hydraulically operated system. I think that, if anything, we should do whatever we can to extend the season and make use of the operation...

Maybe I can refer that question to the Minister of Finance. Since he’s the banker here, he might have the answer to that one.

Okay, Mr. Bromley.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is directed to the Minister of Transportation and it’s in regards to my Member’s statement. I received several calls at my office in Fort McPherson in regards to the closure of the Abraham Francis ferry on the Peel River this coming Saturday. People were raising the concern that there is no ice on the river, so why are we closing the ferry, there’s no visible threat to ferry operations. My assistant took some pictures, which I sent to the Minister’s office, showing him visually that you can actually see there is no…If anything, the river is wide open where...

Another issue I have a problem with especially in regards to capital, is that we seem to put the onus on communities that any assets that this government transferred to the community, it is up to them to repair it, fix it. If it breaks down, that is your problem.

I think this government has to realize that a lot of these assets that we did transfer to communities are going to have to be replaced. But with the existing dollars that they get, you cannot replace a water treatment plant. You cannot replace a major piece of infrastructure like a utilidor system with the existing dollars that they...