David Ramsay

Thank you. That’s a very open-ended question. The Member referenced this information. Not knowing specifically what information the Member is talking about, I can’t say yes to that. Thank you.

Thank you, Madam Chair. The department does a needs assessment every year and has to substantiate every capital request that’s submitted. Thank you.

Madam Chair, we are addressing a need. It’s through federal funding that we look at the $60,000 in partnership with the Canadian Coast Guard. We work with other folks in Hay River to try and get up as much of a program as we possibly can. The requests keep coming. I know I’ve heard both Members from Hay River talk about the requirement for dredging in the port of Hay River. That’s how we can answer the call. We don’t have millions of dollars, but we can offer assistance where need be. Thank you.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I appreciate the Members’ comments on our budget. It’s important for us to hear Members’ concerns.

I know we had a good discussion today about the Inuvik-Tuk highway during question period. I’m sure there will be more questions as we get into some of the detail. Although there is no money per se in the budget this year for the Inuvik-Tuk highway, I would be more than happy, under the highways section, to answer any questions Members may have. It would be very interesting and maybe I’ll just put this out there. Any questions, I am very curious to know what we haven’t told...

Yes, there are reports there. In fact, I believe the benefit analysis is on the website, as well, so Members could go to the Department of Transportation website and avail themselves of the information that’s there.

Mr. Speaker, the benefits are that we’re not waiting, there is access to the North Slave region 24 hours a day, seven days a week. There is convenience. It’s good for transportation companies. It will be great for university students coming back from university in May. They won’t have to face leaving their vehicles in Hay River and fly to Yellowknife and then fly back to Hay River to pick up their vehicles.

It went into the contract. There were extra costs associated with accelerating the contract in order to get the bridge open by November 30th, and if the Member wants to find exactly where...

Mr. Speaker, that horse left the barn about six years ago. There have been a number of questions that have been asked over the years. I don’t believe it does us much good to be beating a dead horse. The bridge is open. If the Member wants specifics on what exactly that $10 million was used for, that money was used to get the contract complete by November 30th so that the bridge could be put into service and that’s exactly what we did. The government was intent on getting that bridge put into service on November 30th. There was a cost to do that. That is what we did, Mr. Speaker. Thank you.

Yes, Mr. Chairman.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Further to my Return to Written Question 6-17(4), I wish to table the following document, entitled Mackenzie Valley Winter Road.

Mr. Speaker, it would have been a year worth of tolls on the bridge. It would have been a year’s worth of interest paid on that money which would have well exceeded the $7.6 million the Member talks about. That bridge is open. Again, it’s serving the public of the Northwest Territories doing what it was supposed to do and intended to do. Thank you.