Agreed.

---Agreed

Thank you. Over to the next page. Where are we? Oh, yes. Baffin, pardon me. Total region, $900,000. Mr. Pudlat.

(Translation) Mr. Chairman, I would like to ask a question of the Minister of Transportation. In Baffin South, in Lake Harbour, the boats usually sink. I didn't see any this summer, but the residents of Lake Harbour have long requested some kind of wharf or harbour for the boats to be safely placed. I don't see anything in this capital budget for Lake Harbour. Perhaps we have to request some funding in order to get our request approved. Every year there are boats that sink because of the rough water in that area. I don't see anything that is going to be done in Lake Harbour in this regard. I just wondered whether the Minister could tell me how we can rectify the problem that we have had every summer with regard to boats sinking in Lake Harbour. Thank you.

Mr. Minister.

I have instructed the department, if that's the correct term, or advised them that I see a reinfrastructure, particularly in the areas that don't have a highway system, as a priority. All of us from communities, as Mr. Zoe pointed out, who use the water for both commercial and residential purposes. What we've been responding to are the priorities that have been established by the municipal and hamlet councils.

I want to assure the Member that in our long range plan, Lake Harbour is on the agenda and I will work with him to see what we can do in terms priorizing, if the council feels it's a priority, development of a wharf facility. It certainly, in my eyes, is a priority in those communities and I would encourage the Members to encourage the municipalities and the hamlets to bring forward letters of recommendation. We do have some good technical people out there who can go in and work with the council and your local contractors to build these wharves. I understand the importance of these in small communities. Thank you.

(Translation) Thank you. We are under Baffin region, total $900,000. Mr. Allooloo.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I don't disagree with the plan to construct harbours at Pangnirtung, Iqaluit and Broughton Island. Like the Minister says, these are very positive and very popular projects even though they are relatively small compared to the whole picture. How many more breakwaters are you having constructed in the Baffin region? How many more communities?

Thank you. Mr. Minister.

Would that be, how many more do we have to construct or how many have we constructed?

Mr. Allooloo.

How many communities don't have breakwaters that require breakwaters?

Thank you. Mr. Minister.

I don't have that off the top of my head. Mr. Gamble estimates that we think somewhere between six to eight communities don't have breakwaters. Six to eight communities out of the 13, but I could get that information for you. I don't have it at my fingertips.

Thank you, I believe we are talking about communities that requested it. Mr. Allooloo.

My last question, Mr. Chairman. I'll be fair to the Minister. Mr. Chairman, I know the community of Hall Beach has been asking to have their community breakwater in place. They are anxious to get that capital plan. Is the department preparing some sort of meeting with the community of Hall Beach to plan for that breakwater? If not, are they open to that suggestion? Thank you.

Thank you. Mr. Minister, what is your transportation plan?

With respect to the transportation planning process, there's nothing in the books here for Hall Beach. For Baffin Island future marine projects, we're looking at based upon the letters and requests we have from the region, Clyde River, Grise Fiord, Lake Harbour and Pond Inlet. However, if Hall Beach is interested, we would be only too happy to take a look at that and fit it into the plans. We don't, at this time, have a request, Mr. Chairman. Thank you.

Thank you. Baffin region, total region $900,000. Mr. Pudlat.

(Translation) I would like to ask the Minister of Transportation something that we have already requested for his department to look at the problem that we have to be able to get what we requested. Perhaps, the request has long been forgotten. I don't know. I understand, Mr. Chairman, that the Minister stated that there's a long-term plan for Lake Harbour, but we have been requesting this project to be done for quite some time. Perhaps it's been forgotten, I'm not sure. Thank you.

(Translation) Thank you, Mr. Pudlat. Mr. Minister.

(Microphone turned off)...forgotten or not. I know it's in the plan. It's one of the areas that we want to take a look at. What I will do is I will revisit the issue and see if we can take a look at when it is possible to at least do an evaluation of what the needs are of that community, by some of the transportation people who are qualified in that field. I'll make that commitment to Mr. Pudlat now.

(Translation) Total Baffin region, $900,000. Thank you. Keewatin, total Keewatin, $500,000. Mr. Arvaluk.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I think the Minister gave us a new schedule for funding wharf projects in the Keewatin region. I thought there was an indication that there would be changes made in respect to the breakwater and anchorage for Coral Harbour. What's the status of this one now? It doesn't reflect in this capital budget.

(Translation) Thank you, Mr. Minister.