David Krutko

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Does the Minister have a final cost of exactly what this project is going to cost?

Mr. Speaker, as we heard here in the House yesterday, the Premier clearly stated that the information for the existing contracts this government has out there has not even been sent to the Gwich’in or to the local business community so they can see what contracts are available. Mr. Speaker, we have a policy in the government by way of a Market Disruption Policy so that if the government is giving out any contracts that have an effect on a community, is that taken into consideration when contracts are being given by way of the cost to maintain a business in the small communities? If anything...

This project’s been on the books as long as I’ve been here. We’ve been spending dollars over there on the community access road funding of $250,000 a year. I think we have two kilometres of road built. It’s not as if this is something that this government isn’t aware of. You can go all the way back to, I think, former Members of this House with regard to Richard Nerysoo. He brought that issue up to this House going back before the 13th Assembly. For the Minister to make the comment that it hasn’t really been a priority of this House or an issue of this House, what does it take to get a project...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is directed to the Minister of infrastructure. Mr. Speaker, a constituent of mine from Aklavik who runs a plumbing and gas fitting business is having a tough time sustaining his business in Aklavik because of competition from Inuvik by way of contracts. Mr. Speaker, I received an e-mail from this individual this morning, which basically is a tender for the community of Aklavik is being put out in regards to a gas fitting service in Aklavik, with no consideration for local businesses that can basically provide the service and not have competition come from...

I thought that question was going to get referred to the Minister of Transportation, who seemed to know where the capital dollars are coming from.

Mr. Speaker, I think we should watch what we ask for here, because I think if you’re going to open up one box, you’re going to be opening up a whole bunch of boxes from hydro development to diamond industry to oil and gas to you name it. You start opening up these boxes, you better be willing to look at everything that’s under the sun. I’d like to ask the Minister, if you’re going to consider this policy, you better make it a policy that basically affects the whole Northwest Territories in all sectors by way of the hydro sector, the oil and gas sector, the minerals sector, the diamonds sector...

The Minister mentioned that there’s a possibility of getting federal dollars for marine operations. Is there any idea of how much money we’re talking about from the federal government?

Minister of Transportation.

Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to go back to item 7.

---Unanimous consent granted

I think the perfect solution would be a bridge.