No, that's fine, Mr. Chairman. I appreciate the comments of the honourable Member and other Members. I've made a commitment to revisit the financial expenditures. I hope I can accommodate their concerns. Thank you.

Thank you. Total region, Fort Smith, $20 million. Mr. Zoe.

Thank you, Mr. Zoe. Mr. Todd.

The wharves in the Fort Smith region were not viewed as a priority with respect to the dollars we have. We have assigned, as we said, $20 million into highways and bridge rehabilitation costs. As the previous Member said, there's a limitation to what we can do. From what I remember reading, I don't think it was a high priority from any of the requests that came in from the communities. Whereas, if I may use the issue of places like Pangnirtung, Coral Harbour, et cetera, it appeared that these communities felt wharves were of a higher priority because they didn't have highways and they use marine transportation on a more frequent basis than the communities that have highways. It's just a limitation of dollars, nothing else.

Qujannamiik. General comments. Mr. Zoe.

Thank you. Mr. Minister.

I'm not aware of any specific requests for upgrading in that particular area. However, I would say to the honourable Member, should I be given specific requests we would look at it and see what we can do. I caution you again, when we talk about fair and equitable treatment of capital dollars, that's what we've endeavoured to do. We've endeavoured to put it into what we see as the priority on the highway system. That's what we've done with $20 million. It may not be in the roads to everyone's satisfaction, but the dollars are there.

In the east we've put it into airport and marine infrastructure. So, if there are some specific requests that come forward from the communities we would look at them, but only in the fiscal framework that we're operating within. Thank you.

Thank you. Mr. Zoe.

Thank you. Mr. Minister.

I agree, Mr. Zoe is correct. However, in my best judgement, the judgement of the department and the input we received from the communities, this is where we priorized the dollars. If there is a specific request from a specific community, we would only be too happy to look at it within the fiscal framework in which we're all operating.

Thank you. Detail of capital. Mr. Patterson.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I just want to say, again as I've said about this department before, that I am very pleased with the way the department involves the hunters' and trappers' association in Iqaluit in developing their plans for the beach improvements. The $40,000 -- I believe it was -- that was spent this summer -- which may not seem like a lot of money -- was nonetheless spent with the full advice and involvement of the HTA, I think to great effect. There has now been some significant improvements in sheltering small craft from the high winds that occur -- particularly in the fall season which are aggravated by the high tides which can be over 40 feet -- damage small vessels, which are the livelihood of my constituents.

I want to thank the department, in particular, and the Minister for the good work that was done this summer. I also want to express my gratitude for the monies that have been secured to do major improvements, in future, under the federal infrastructure program. I think it was quite an accomplishment to have secured those funds. I realize they were in jeopardy for a while. I thank the Minister for his efforts and for making sure that the needs of subsistence users in Iqaluit were identified amongst the many priorities and pressures that were upon the Minister.

There is one question I would like to ask about that. I know a statement was made on that issue in this House. Some projects are happening earlier and some are later, and I know that one can't always be at the head of the list, but the projects that are scheduled for completion in 1997...Who knows, I may no longer be a Member of this House in 1997? Who knows, the Minister may no longer be the Minister of Transportation in 1997, heaven forbid. I understand these funds are secured in agreements that have been secured with the federal government. Do I understand that now that they've been announced, and now that the agreements have been signed, that I can assure my constituents that that project of harbour improvements in Iqaluit in the two years leading up to 1997 are secure, are not dependent on annual appropriations in either the federal or territorial government, but are in fact commitments that my constituents can reply on and patiently wait to unfold? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Patterson. Mr. Minister.

Technically, they would be subject to annual appropriations. Maybe it would be a lot easier for everybody because Mr. Antoine raised the issue earlier today that I could table the agreement between the federal government and the territorial government so you can see the conditions in which these dollars were assigned.

Thank you. Agreed?

Agreed.

---Agreed

Detail of capital. Mr. Antoine.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I just wanted to say something about this area. I think I missed it, it was under community access roads. I just want to mention that Jean Marie River still wants to be included. In previous years, Jean Marie River had their own line in this section to build an access road to the highway. Last year it was taken out, and I'm told it's in the community access roads. I just wanted to ask the Minister if they're still included in the community access roads' budget.

Thank you. Mr. Minister.

I want to assure my honourable colleague that it is in the budget. I did make a commitment to him and to the community. There is $200,000 this coming year and we will continue to fund that until such time as the road is complete. Thank you.

Thank you. Mr. Antoine.