Wally Schumann

Absolutely. Thank you, Mr. Chair. Let's make it quite clear on the record. That is why we are sitting here today, discussing these things. This was based on an application for the National Trade Corridors Fund, the amount of $400 million that was carved out for the three northern territories. Based on that application, that is where my priority would be. It would be under the Slave Geological Province. It doesn't mean that the bridge is not a priority. This fund is just for the three northern territories with a carve-out, as I have said. There are only a certain amount of dollars left in there...

As I said, I can have a quick conversation with our staff. Everything that I have talked about previously on this particular type of project, and particularly on Great Slave Lake, as I said, the safety standards and pressure ridges and unpredictable situations that could happen on Great Slave Lake, the department clearly told me that they do not think that it would meet our current safety standards. I can have that conversation internally with our department and get back to the Member on what the possibility would be. At this point, it clearly shows that this would not be possible.

Mr. Guy.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. As I said in my comments there about the consultation with industry and looking at replacing it, we made the decision to have a look at that. We have spent some money on the Frank Channel bridge to try to get a little more life out of it while we look at trying to access funding from the federal government to replace this thing. It is roughly $60, $70 million, if I remember correctly the number for it. We presently have an application out of the National Trade Corridors Fund, which we would have shared with committee on our application around with that and the Slave...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The answer would be no. The reason it would be no is because the Member has already asked a couple times about us having a look at putting an ice crossing in to Lutselk'e, and there are significant challenges around that, around safety and construction and maintenance. We believe that this will outweigh the possible benefits of putting something like that in. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. As the Member knows, I am on the transition committee. We will see how this transition committee makes out compared to the last one. We can probably put a lot of recommendations in there, but that is just a recommendation at that point. The Member has made some good points around the small employment fund. I think, in retrospect, if we would have redirected that increase to this CAP program, depending on the way the small community fund is going to be rolled out here, the success of it, we might have been a little bit better off spending some of that money in this pot...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Yes, we can do that and provide the Member with that detailed information. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

As I said, clearly the Member is not listening to what I am saying. We are collecting data out there. Our data has clearly told us that the reduction of wait times is down by 30 percent. We are doing it manually. We have a person sitting there collecting that data. We will get this information more clearly when we put in an automated system. We are at 1.2 lines right now. There have to be two lines to have more significant more traffic at the Yellowknife Airport for them to make a decision to install two lines.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. As, you know, the Finance Minister is going to be the last person up in front of the committee, but with our limited resources that we have right now I suspect, if I took an application in FMB to increase this community access program funding, I would have a tough time doing it. I would support the Member if he would -- well, it is a little bit late now, I guess, but the next Assembly, if they need to see more money put on this, we are going to have to work through the business planning to try to increase that. If I remember correctly, I think we have already topped it up...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. In our proposed work plan for this in the Budget 2019-2020 fiscal year is $3.8 million. Savings that result from these projects are estimated at an average of $209,700 annually, which corresponds to the estimated reduction of 824 tonnes of GHG emissions. I will turn it over to the deputy for further comment. Thank you, Mr. Chair.