Thank you. Minister of Transportation, Mr. Todd.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I think I did say yesterday that while we did have some problems with Fisheries and Oceans, the primary reason for the closure was because of OPPLAN cuts. However, I do recognize the importance of this issue and I did meet with the deputy minister earlier today. I don't have any more money; it is just that simple at this stage of the game. However, I am prepared to try to work with the communities and perhaps the communities could assist us. They do have some infrastructure money that has been given to them from other departments. If they could perhaps work with us we might be able to do something. But at the present time, it would be wrong of me to say to the Member that I could extend these openings, unless I had new fiscal resources.

It does give me an opportunity to say one thing in slight defence of what we're doing. I did also ask the department what the average opening date was, over the last five years, for these roads. The average opening for Nahanni Butte was December 25th; we opened Nahanni Butte on December 1st. That is 24 days earlier. The average opening in Trout Lake was December 29th; this year, we opened it on December 22nd, seven days earlier. In Fort Wrigley, we opened it one day earlier than what we have done on average. We are attempting to do the best we can with the resources we have.

We understand that these roads are not just highways, they are a way of life, they are a way getting building materials in, cost-effective food in. Jean Marie River is an example where we know they need some help. I want to assure the honourable Member we will do what we can. I am trying quickly to see if there is some way we can look at this, but right now I don't have the fiscal resources available. Maybe through some joint cooperation with the communities we can see if there's any way, if at all possible, to extend the closing of the ice roads.

Mr. Antoine.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The winter roads have closed in the past at different times. The whole road doesn't deteriorate at the same rate. There are northern and southern areas with different climatic regions. Some of the roads in the system go through major lakes and rivers that overflow north of Wrigley quite often and there are major problems in that area. In some areas, like Nahanni Butte and Jean Marie, there are no major rivers to cross and there are no problems with overflow. It doesn't take much work to keep those roads open.

What I'm asking the Minister is if his department has looked at each highway system specifically to determine, historically, how much additional work has gone into each section. I think the decision was made by the department to try to save money, but I would like his department to consider looking at the roads separately to see how much money was spent in each area in the past. I think some of these road systems didn't require much additional money to keep open until they start to thaw.

People in the communities know that once the roads start to thaw, not to use them any more. But shutting down a perfectly good road on March 15th, which you can use for another two weeks, is not reasonable at this time. Thank you.

Mr. Todd.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. What I've asked the department this morning was what our liability would be if we leave the roads open without additional maintenance costs. In other words, if they would be still accessible and there are no storms, et cetera. I haven't got an answer yet but when I do, I assure the honourable Member -- because I know this is an important issue to his constituency -- that he will be the first person I speak with. We are looking at what our liability would be if we left the roads open, if weather conditions are such that it would be okay to do that. We are looking at that, yes.

Supplementary, Mr. Antoine.

Mr. Todd.

I suspect that my discussion with the deputy minister was after Mr. Cassidy's comments in the news. The position of the department right now is to close the roads on March 15th. If that's how we technically close them, I suppose that's correct. However, again, I want to say to the honourable Member that I've asked the department if we can leave the roads open, what our liabilities will be. Do you know what I mean? That's what I'm asking for right now. There's no additional money to maintain them, but I am checking to see if we can leave them open and if, at that time of year, they would still be sufficiently solid so people can still use them. I haven't received an answer yet to that. Hopefully, by later on today or tomorrow I should.

Thank you. Final supplementary, Mr. Antoine.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Just one more supplementary because it is an important issue to me. I wanted to say that I have a public announcement by the Department of Transportation from the Deh Cho Drum of February 28th. I notice these ads were in all the newspapers throughout the north, probably at substantial cost. I notice that signs were put up at these highways too, at substantial cost. These costs could have been diverted to keeping the highways open for maybe another week or so.

I just wanted to say that the weather at this time of the year, in my constituency anyway, is cool in the evening, without very much snow and with ice. So, the roads are still usable for quite some time, with very minimal maintenance. I wanted to ask the Minister if his department is going to be looking at that as well and, if they're putting up barricades, if these barricades could be movable so if the road is still passable people could use these roads at their own risk.

Mr. Todd.

I asked the deputy minister this morning in discussions with him to take a look at this to determine what our liabilities would be. When we come to a satisfactory decision, then we will determine whether there will be portable or permanent barricades, or whatever. There may, in fact, be no barricades if we can do what is being suggested. I'm hopeful that we can have some resolution to the issue by tomorrow. Thank you.

Thank you. Item 6, oral questions. Mr. Koe.