Thank you. With all due respect to my colleague, Mr. Lewis, who has many paved roads and highways in his jurisdiction, I would not mind a road up the Mackenzie Valley so I can get home once in awhile in a direct link rather than going through the Yukon. It is going somewhere, it is going to Inuvik.
---Laughter
There is something at the end of the road. There are also many other communities which are proposed to link up with that highway if it ever goes through.
I would be remiss if I did not speak about the Dempster. There are many concerns from the residents in the Mackenzie Valley who are linked to the Dempster. Over the years there have been some accidents on the road and there is a serious concern by truckers and other people who use it, as to the safety of the road. I know it is in the current strategy and it is on the plans to do some major upgrading and renovations to it. I would push to accelerate those plans because according to statistics I think we have had nearly the second highest amount of visitor traffic or registered traffic on the road, somewhere in the neighbourhood of eight to ten thousand vehicles that registered in one of the visitors' centres along the highway. A great deal of new traffic travels up there but with it there is also a great deal of complaints, the dust, the width of the highway and the conditions of the highway. I hope that in the new strategy, the Dempster becomes a priority in terms of what exists, get it upgraded and make it safe so that our people who use it can drive in comfort and safety and not be concerned about any disasters. I wanted to put that plug in.
I also want to talk about bridges, as I know there has been discussion about constructing bridges. There are three crossings on the Dempster Highway, one at Peel River, one at Arctic Red River and then the junction at Arctic Red River and the Mackenzie River. The one that would deserve some looking at, and I am sure there has been some preliminary work done is at the Peel crossing, especially at breakup and freeze-up times. You do not have the highly technical things that go on at the Fort Providence crossing with the bubble hoses and the high-tech ice making equipment. I know it takes much longer when freeze-up comes and when breakup comes. At least traffic can get into the airport at Fort McPherson, and you can get your food goods at those times. We have all heard about the high prices and they tend to get higher, just as in Yellowknife, but more so up in the Delta, when the ferries are not operable.
The other place I would like to put a plug in for is Arctic Red River, the crossing from the highway to the community. I am sure you are aware that Arctic Red River is one of the communities without an airport. They have no access other than by helicopter during spring and freeze-up times. They have always wanted some kind of emergency strip so they can have access to emergency services and regular services. I know that the community is considered to be on the highway, but there just happens to be a river between the highway and the community. I am not sure if any work is being done in that area and I would like to get some comments back from the Minister before I proceed. Thank you.