Thank you, Mr. Speaker. No, I do not believe it is the Northern Transportation Company Limited that is driving the costs up in the eastern Arctic. I believe the government negotiated down to a very reasonable level the large resupply contract for the eastern Arctic with Northern Transportation Company Limited and we were pleased with that. The savings we can see with the Keewatin resupply do not totally, necessarily have to do with the Northern Transportation Company Limited. The extra costs of handling fuel and cargo from places like Montreal or Edmonton, putting the commodity onto rail cars, handling it and moving it through the rail line to Manitoba and up north through Churchill, then off loading the product to the big tank farms in Churchill, then once again transferring that same fuel and cargo to the barges and then delivering them to the communities is the major costs of transportation. The cost is mostly in the handling and the complicated way that it is handled now, and it is not the fault of Northern Transportation Company Limited. Thank you.
Goo Arlooktoo on Question 36-13(5): Eastern Arctic Resupply Costs
In the Legislative Assembly on October 24th, 1997. See this statement in context.
Return To Question 36-13(5): Eastern Arctic Resupply Costs
Question 36-13(5): Eastern Arctic Resupply Costs
Item 6: Oral Questions
October 23rd, 1997
Page 187
Goo Arlooktoo Baffin South
See context to find out what was said next.