Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I have a return to oral question asked by Mr. Krutko on September 16, 1998 in regard to poor conditions of the Dempster Highway.
Mr. Speaker, on Wednesday, September 16, 1998, the Member for Mackenzie Delta called attention to the state of repair of the Dempster Highway. The Dempster Highway was built through terrain where permafrost is a common feature. Every summer the frozen earth melts causing settlement and slumping in the road bed and side embankments. This summer was both warmer and wetter than most causing more than the usual amount of melting and settling in the road.
The Department of Transportation attended steadily to road repairs throughout the summer although the wet weather did cause some delays. Through a labour contract with the Fort McPherson Band, the department retained the services of a highway foreman who regularly patrolled the highway watching for surface or embankment failures that would require maintenance attention.
Over the summer, the department's project engineer from the Inuvik office was staying in Fort McPherson on the Dempster Highway reconstruction project. From Fort McPherson he was able to give technical and supervisory advice on the road repairs as necessary.
The department's highway maintenance contractor for this section of the Dempster Highway, Tetlit Zeh Trucking of Fort McPherson also provided services needed to maintain the highway in a safe, functional condition.
The department is keeping pace with the road repairs and will continue to watch the highway carefully until it freezes once again for the winter. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.