Thank you, Mr. Chairman. In this section, transportation planning, there is nothing in the budget for what I am talking about. We need to do something to improve the road immediately out of Fort Simpson towards the airport. It is
about 14 kilometres, perhaps more. It is probably more like 18 or 19 kilometres if you take it right from where the ferry comes off at the Liard River, right into the community of Fort Simpson. It is a well-travelled road, especially to the airport. It has to be repaired constantly throughout the summer because it is a gravel road. They have treated it with calcium and every time it rains, it turns to soup. The heavy trucks pound the road and it is very hard for people to keep their vehicles. Many people have moved out of the community to another part of the community called "Wild Rose Acreage" and the vehicles are taking a pounding.
The request has been made to the department a number of times to see if we could put some asphalt there. There is nothing in the budget for it, but I wanted to ask the Minister if it is at all possible to do some preliminary studies and evaluation to determine what would be required to get the road so that it could be paved or have an asphalt surface? Thank you, Mr. Chairman.