Most people that we appoint to boards, say it would be the exception rather than the rule, are appointed based upon their abilities and of course their continuing, their performance, et cetera. It is not uncommon for people to be changed on boards, even though they have done an excellent job. We do it all the time. It is just common practice. I do not know why one board member got appointed over another one. I understand that the old board member who is the new board member on the existing board was Mr. Reni from Iqaluit, and perhaps, it was felt that there is a greater degree of participation by western people on the board because there is a great deal of more action within the liquor commission. So, I suspect that there was a requirement to have a solid, stable, sound, individual from the eastern Arctic, considerably one lone voice, and who better than somebody of Mr. Reni's character, and, of course, the tenure he has put in the country and the commitment he has made to the liquor. So, I think it just boils down to that, nothing else. Thank you.

Thank you. Oral questions. Mr. Ootes.

The Minister of Transportation, Mr. Antoine.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in regards to the highway between Rae and Yellowknife, I drive it quite often myself, my constituency being in Fort Simpson. I know that the road has got a lot of curves in it, and I know the safety concern is there, but if you drive according to the speed limit, you should not have any problem. The condition of the road, that the workers keep it in, and they are doing the best that they can, is excellent. The only problem that I see is the northern section of the road. It is narrower and has more curves in it as you indicated.

Mr. Speaker, the department has approached all the industries that are involved in using the road, the trucking firms, within the last month, and have made it clear to them the concern that we have as a department in regards to the safety. We also have talked to the different law enforcement officers, the RCMP, our own bylaw officers in the communities, and the highway patrol. So, everyone is on alert that we are very concerned about the amount of traffic that we anticipate this winter on the highway between Rae and Yellowknife.

The department has been making these initiatives. I think these are very good initiatives to take. In regards to lowering the speed limit, we could do that. In fact, as an example, we have done it in other parts of the North. As you know, or perhaps you do not know, in my constituency around Fort Simpson this year, there is some logging activity going on. There are logging trucks that are going close to Fort Simpson down to the BC border. As a result of that, the department has lowered the speed limit from 90 to 80. Because of the similar types of conditions on the Liard Highway, where it is a little bit narrower and there are more curves in the road, when these big trucks are barrelling down on you, you want to go into the ditch sometimes. Because of that we have lowered the speed limit, and we could consider that similar type of decision as well. We will look at that. Thank you.

Oral questions. Supplementary, Mr. Ootes.

Mr. Antoine.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, our concern this winter mainly is on the Ingraham Trail because of the amount of traffic that we anticipate will be using that part of our highway system. Yes, our concern is safety. Our highway patrol officers have been notified already. We will re-emphasize that to see if we could see ways on how to beef up or increase the highway patrols.

We will also be instructing on the headlights issue as well since you mentioned it. There are headlights, lights on, it is law boards that are going up, signs that have gone up. That is the law now to have your headlights on at all times. Therefore, the RCMP who patrol the communities as well as the highways, our highway patrol, and the bylaw officers of the communities have been notified that it is law now. That will be enforced as well. Thank you.

Thank you. Oral questions. Mr. Ootes, supplementary.

Mr. Antoine.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the restructuring of the highway between Rae and Yellowknife, is in the five-year capital plan. It is probably going to be subject to change before that, but we anticipate that in the next three years, hopefully, we would initiate the actual restructuring of that section of the highway according to the five-year capital plan. You know that the five-year capital plan is a planning tool, it is not really realized until the year of the construction itself. We have a couple of years before we actually move ahead with that. Thank you.

Thank you. Oral questions. Final supplementary, Mr. Ootes.

Mr. Antoine.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, this restructuring of the highway between Rae and Yellowknife is a very major undertaking in terms of the amount of dollars that would be required to reconstruct the whole 90 odd kilometres of this highway. It is a very substantial cost per kilometre, and because of that we would like to look at it as part of a highway strategy even though it is in the five-year capital plan. It is part of a bigger strategy that we are developing. As I said earlier in my statements and specifically to your question, yes, we would like to move ahead and start reconstruction of the highway within the next three years. That is to start it, the completion will take longer than that. Thank you.

Thank you. Oral questions. Mr. Picco.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, following on the line of questioning of the last couple of days on the growth of fungus and bacteria in our fuel supply, that has been found, I know it is a very important topic John, ...found in Iqaluit. As the Minister said it is present in other fuels but inactive. Mr. Speaker, can the Minister for Petroleum Products tell me if it is the policy of this government to buy the cheapest fuel available.

Thank you. The Minister of Public Works and Services. Mr. Arlooktoo.

Mr. Speaker, when our Petroleum Products Division does go out for tender for fuel, the cost is a very major aspect of the proposal call. So, yes, it is a big factor.

Oral question. Supplementary, Mr. Picco.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, it is my understanding that the situation regarding the bacteria in the fuel that has been found in Iqaluit, that could also be present in other communities, is a direct result, as Mr. Arlooktoo now has just said, of buying the cheapest fuel available. Mr. Speaker, there is a point in time when we have a fiscal reality and we should look at economies of scale and buying the cheapest product. In this case, it now seems that we have fungus and bacteria in the fuel. Mr. Speaker, can the Minister for Public Works tell me if the result of the fungus and bacteria is because there is a large amount of water in the cheap fuel that has been purchased?

Mr. Arlooktoo.