Robert Bouchard

My next line of questioning would be toward the Sahtu winter road. Obviously, some of the other Members had talked about the closures and some of the difficulties there. I’m just wondering what kind of feedback the department has gotten with some of the corporate companies. I know some of the corporations have provided us money for the winter road to get that up and operational as soon as possible. Have we seen much flack from that when the closure was going on, and do we expect that corporate sponsorship to continue?

Thank you. Yes, I’m just looking for a little more detail on that business case. I’m wondering if the department would be… Obviously this is a capital project, I understand, but I’m just wondering if the department would be investigating some of the additional business case savings that the territorial government would have. Obviously, it’s easier if we’re saving similar to the toll system, it would be an easier case if we could say that we were saving $2 million a year in transportation costs because we don’t have to fly in and out of the community, items like that. Is the department looking...

My next area, obviously, would be the interest in the Tuk to Inuvik highway, but my question would be what does it currently cost us to build the winter road, operate the winter road from Tuk to Inuvik.

Along the lines of the bridge as well, can the Minister maybe provide me some of the analysis of the toll collection, collecting the tolls? Has that been what we expected and also the other side to it, the expenses? Has the toll system been working effectively and have there been any additional costs to tracking of this or any additional expenses to doing the toll collections?

Thank you, Madam Chair. My opening comments for the Department of MACA deal mainly with what the community of Hay River has been dealing with the department for some time. We’ve had the opportunity to meet with them over the last couple of months. The community’s obviously concerned about the formula funding and the way that some of the formula funding has been affecting the community of Hay River.

The way the formula is calculated out for the last couple of years, Hay River has seen a major decrease in some of their funding. We continue to work with the department on finding ways to see if...

The other area of interest of mine is, obviously, dredging, and this goes in line with marine. The Minister has already committed to providing some financial assistance to looking at the Hay River dredging, but I’m just wondering if the department is looking to roll out more of a plan for dredging. I’m not just concerned about Hay River dredging. I think there are some other areas of concern. Dredging, you know, maybe some, potentially, in Inuvik and some in Norman Wells. What is the department looking at as far as a dredging program through the Northwest Territories?

Thank you, Madam Chair. My questions are along the ferry operation as well. I know the Minister has answered some of them with Mr. Dolynny’s questions, but I’m just wondering about the strategy that the department is going to come with all the ferries. I have heard also that the ferry in Fort McPherson, they would like to upgrade it as well. I’m just wondering when the department is going to analyze and decide if they’re going to move the Merv Hardie up to Tsiigehtchic, maybe the Louis Cardinal moves up to Fort McPherson, and then we would have a spare ferry. When would the department be...

Obviously, we wouldn’t be representing all of our fellow Members here if we didn’t mention Highway No. 7 during highway discussions. Mr. Menicoche is travelling this week. My question for Highway No. 7, obviously Hay River being part of the Deh Cho loop and promoting that, I’m just wondering if the department is expecting to continue their upgrade and early maintenance of Highway No. 7 so we have a fabulous year like we did last year. Does the department have any additional funds expected to be worked on Highway No. 7 and will they continue to make sure this maintenance happens earlier in the...

I just want to go back to the bridge topic. I missed one of my notes here. I’m just wondering about the corporation, the corporate companies and registration of the tolls. Have we registered most of the northern companies as far as for the toll system? Are we still in the middle of that system? How much flack are we talking with the tolls of collecting and getting operators up to speed on the registration of the tolls?

Thank you. I’m just wondering also along those lines of any kind of other business case that we’ve looked into the government of the benefits of the Tuk-Inuvik highway. Is there an operational cost that the department has been working with, maybe, the Department of Health or Department of Justice for transportation costs that we would be saving in the creation or the building of this road? Has a business case been completed for this?