Jane Groenewegen

We are not really supposed to make reference in the House to documents, and numbers, and information that were before committee. We can certainly speak to what is here. I believe it to be a genuinely interesting question, but I am hesitant to start digging out committee documents for reference. Mr. Miltenberger.

That’s quite an assertion on the part of our Transportation Minister to say it will be that road and we will spend money on that road. It will be. It kind of makes me wonder, you know, where we are in terms of our level of commitment on this. When we started out and it was $150 million from the feds and $50 million from our government, okay, I could see it. But we haven’t even determined what the cost of the road is yet, so how can the Minister say this will be it?

What if the road comes in at $400 million? How can the Minister make such an assertion? How does he know with such certainty?

Thank you. The motion is in order.

Mr. Aumond.

Mr. Speaker, the Minister speaks of the desire of the federal government from a sovereignty point of view to have this road built. What about the aspirations of the people of the Northwest Territories? How are we going to calculate whether the significant capital investment of this government and the ongoing costs to maintain and upkeep this road is in the interests of the people of the Northwest Territories? By what process are you going to gauge that, given all of the competition of these capital dollars? How are you going to find that out? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Moses. Any further comments? Page 8, Transportation, capital investment expenditures, highways, not previously authorized, $2 million, total department, $2 million.

Page 7, Education, Culture and Employment, capital investment expenditures, education and culture, not previously authorized, negative $3.935 million, total department, negative $3.935 million. Mr. Dolynny.

We are proceeding along with spending money to look at the feasibility and viability of building an all-weather road from Inuvik to Tuk. But even if the project came in at $200 million and the federal government put in $150 million, I’d like to ask the Minister of Transportation where is our government going to get their share?

Thank you, Ms. Bisaro. Minister Miltenberger.

Thank you, Mr. Bromley. Public Works and Services, capital investment expenditures, asset management, not previously authorized, $300,000, total department, not previously authorized, $300,000.