Rocky Simpson

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Will the Minister also commit to have her department review the processes used when purchasing any such assets for MTS? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

[microphone turned off]… the reality is we probably, around the Hay River area, we probably won't find any resources. We would have to bring it in from Alberta or BC. I just want to know if we've looked at that and the cost or feasibility of building a line from the south into Hay River and possibly some of the other smaller communities. Thank you, Madam Chair.

If it is found that these barges are not suitable for the Mackenzie River, can you check with your department about if we have another use for them? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Madam Chair. With respect to the positions in Inuvik, I had brought this up before, is that, in South Slave and I guess the Deh Cho as well, it would be nice to have somebody look at tying in the communities into natural gas. Assuming that natural gas is probably going to have to come out of Alberta, have we looked at that at all or explored that area? Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. With respect to the issues I brought up, I guess, about procurement and the hiring, can the Minister confirm if her department is going to do a review of MTS to address those concerns? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Madam Chair. The Minister had mentioned earlier about looking at shipping oil, I think, down the Mackenzie and around the coast, somewhere, anyway. Can she just restate, I guess, what she said?

Can the Minister confirm if she can make the contract between MTS and ORSI available, if not to myself, then to the appropriate standing committee, so that we can determine what we are dealing with?

Thank you, Madam Chair. I guess, just in closing here, I would like to make a comment, and I would like to say that, in the South Slave there, I am pretty impressed with the way the parks are operated. They are looked after pretty well. The park manager is doing a good job, and the staff seem to be doing a good job, as well. I really appreciate that. They seem to be responsive. Yes. Good job. Just the outhouses. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I would like just to turn to agriculture. I had a chat with a few of the farmers in Hay River, and a number of issues come up. It is associated with cost, the cost of land leases, the cost of taxes for the land, the cost of power, the cost of fuel. It just makes it unfeasible to actually farm. Is the department looking at how to address that, and do they have any plans? Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In the previous sitting, I discussed Marine Transportation Services, or MTS, as it is referred to. It is time to review the management and operations of MTS. It has been three years since the asset purchase, and we have stuck our head in the sand and let it operate as is. MTS was purchased to ensure uninterrupted freight services to the communities along the Mackenzie River and the coast. It quickly morphed into something more that includes providing services such as vessel repair and private charters.

Mr. Speaker, it is time this government identify what we are trying...