Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, just some short comments on the Department of Transportation. Over the past several months, I have had an opportunity to meet with the Minister on various constituency issues. The Minister has always been available. He has had staff at the meetings and any time I have sent E-mails or letter requests to the Minister and his staff, they always respond. So I thank the Minister for that.
The breakwater project in my community, under the Transportation budget, has been a very important one. It is ongoing. There was a concern when the mayor and deputy mayor met with the Minister before Christmas, trying to priorize some other breakwater projects within the community, hopefully moving them up into the capital budget. We were not able to accomplish that. We will be asking today to seek assistance from the Minister to try to get them at least in the five-year capital plan, because they are not there now.
Later on today, I will have an opportunity to ask the Minister if he is aware of these developments and the department?
On the access road that Mr. Ningark and some other Members have spoken about before, we did try to get some access road money into my community because we have never accessed any money for several years. We are looking at a small sum of about $40,000. We were not successful and I have not seen it again in the five-year capital plan. I will be asking the Minister and his staff if that can be advanced into the five-year capital plan?
Under cold weather testing, we have had some success over the past two years in Iqaluit, using the airport for cold weather testing. Last week we had a meeting, myself and the president of the Qikiqtaaluk Corporation, about more aspects of cold weather testing. I think this is a good news story. It has pumped, over the past two years, more than a million dollars into the economy. All new money, like Mr. Roland spoke about this morning. New money coming in. So that is a good thing. I am hoping to get some more information from the department, if they can help us look at cold weather testing. How we can market our airport?
On a different matter, is the NAV Canada. NAV Canada has won a large contract I would assume. I understand it was the largest privately financed deal of any company in Canada. They have taken over the operations of the air guidance systems across the country. There have been some concerns from airline carriers with the rates that they have been charging. Of course that comes back into the pocket books of the residents. In the eastern Arctic, as you know, Mr. Chairman, we do not have access to roads. All we can do is fly things in or wait for the annual sealift. We are in a unique situation that needs to be addressed when these types of issues come forward. I know I wrote the Minister of Transportation sometime late last year on the NAV Canada rate increases and the Minister again responded very quickly and indeed had been lobbying, I understand NAV Canada, on this issue. It is a concern for the Government of the Northwest Territories. Later today, when we get that line item, I will be asking some questions on NAV Canada and their rates they have been charging. With that, that is my opening comment on the Department of Transportation. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.