Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Over the past many years, my predecessors and myself have lobbied strong and hard to provide an adequate and safe highway between Rae-Edzo and Yellowknife. This project has taken many years to get where it is today. This summer, according to the capital plan for 1998-99, we should see the start of the last 100 kilometres of reconstruction. We know this will take years before we have a completely paved highway between Rae-Edzo and Yellowknife, but this is only the start.

Over the last couple of winters, this road has become very busy with the construction of BHP, all the explorations and many hundreds of trucks travel this section to deliver their freight. It has become such an important link that I understand, over this past hauling season, there was approximately one truck travelling every three to four minutes apart on this road. This of course, does not include any local traffic from the communities or regular freight hauled on a scheduled basis. This road is very important to everyone.

With this in mind, it is the reasoning behind the Dogrib Rae Band's development plan for the new airport and staging area outside of Edzo. To date, this project has been funded through the band council's operations with training programs and donations. Last year, the band council stated this project and with little funding were able to complete approximately 25 percent. This year they will continue to improve this site and hopefully with support from this government and the private sector we will see an airport to service my community of Rae-Edzo in the near future.

With this area being developed, the council's hope is to provide an alternate staging, as that will relieve the pressures this highway construction will have on all resupply to Yellowknife and the mines. I do hope we are starting this highway construction this summer. However, today I heard the Department of Indian Affairs will not let construction begin until an environmental review is complete. This, I can say, came as rather a surprise considering this project is now in its fifth year in the capital plan. The Department of Transportation has not completed this review yet.

I would also like to say that later today, I will be asking the Minister of Transportation questions regarding this project. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

--Applause