Thank you, Mr. Chairman. If you recall, I said in the House that while the old transportation strategy -- if you want to call it that -- was a laudable document, I felt at the time that it was perhaps unrealistic when you consider the fiscal condition of the country and the fiscal condition of the GNWT.

I will be tabling the report that was done by Gordon Wray, the former Minister of Transportation, as soon as it is translated. What we will try to show in this report are eight or nine objectives that we can try to accomplish over the next two year period. The priority of the objectives is highways. We talk about the Dempster and the Mackenzie. We talk about the need for additional fiscal resources to try to improve the highway system whether it is in the Fort Smith, Fort Simpson or Hay River areas. One of the established priorities is an acceleration in wharves and marine facilities, particularly in some of the communities where we don't have them.

We want to take a hard look at the Arctic coast area, particularly in Coppermine, where mineral development is taking place in Izok Lake. I do realize that is a huge project and I suspect it would require enormous public funds, but that is another priority we're looking at. We're looking at trying to negotiate some additional funding from the federal government to upgrade the airports. As you know, we are in the throes of initiating discussions about the transfer of Arctic airports.

We need to improve marine resupply and we are also looking at means to improve the way we spend the dollars in the north, to ensure that more dollars are put in the hands of northerners. If I were to summarize it, I would say we are trying to negotiate with the current federal government one or two important initiatives which would allow us to continue what took place in the past with respect to the Mackenzie Highway. That is one.

Two, we have to look at finding some additional resources to try to improve the highways over the next five years, or whatever. I'm told if we could negotiate somewhere between $8 million on an annual basis -- and I stand to be corrected -- then we could make a tremendous impact on many of the highways we have here in the west and be able to bring them up to a better standard over a very short period of time.

I think we all recognize the importance of the mineral developments that have taken place in the Lac de Gras area and, of course, in the Kitikmeot with Izok Lake. So, that's also a priority. I think that, in a nutshell, is where we're at. I will be tabling this as soon as we get it translated. Thank you.