Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Under transportation for the upcoming year, the Department of Transportation outlined a total proposed budget of $86 million, $56 million which is in operations and maintenance and $30 million which is in capital estimates. This equals a total budget decrease of $28 thousand in capital from the 1997-98 budget. In addition, the department plans to cut two positions, reducing from 330 to 328 positions. The standing committee expressed concern about the number of pilot projects within the department.
The committee is concerned about the additional costs these projects will incur, such as the expenses involved in the start of a pilot project, and questions where the department will find available funds to carry out the necessary negotiations with the communities. The committee Members would like to review any new pilot projects that the department may initiate in the future.
Keewatin Marine Resupply Strategy remains a concern. The government announced recently that this controversial strategy will be delayed for the life of this government. The committee supports this decision but does not agree with some of the actions of the department before the decision was made. Committee Members are of the view that the government did not comply with the spirit and the intent of the recommendations of the Keewatin Marine Resupply Steering Committee.
When the government released the statement of its intension to delay the Keewatin Marine Resupply Strategy, committee Members felt statements made about the substantial cost savings were not fair and did not represent a balanced account of the facts. No substantiation was provided as an explanation of these cost savings. Members were concerned about the governments paternalistic attitude in the distribution of this information. Mr. Chairman, I will now ask my colleague to continue on.