Thank you, Madam Chairperson. Madam Chairperson, the opportunity to negotiate contracts by qualified firms in the small communities is always there. When it comes to the department, we are considering requests to negotiate and will take into consideration their past performance, as well as the fact of how long they have been in the business. We should keep in mind that part of the negotiated contract policy and the end result of that program is to have these small firms qualify to enter the public tender process. In other words, at some point in time we have to accept the fact that they are capable of competing in a public tender process and therefore some consideration will be given to whether or not we are still continuing with negotiated contract policy. The policy will be subject to review at some point in time by Cabinet and by the Legislative Assembly as to whether we still continue with the policy. Until there is a decision to do away with it, we will go by the policy that is established by the government.

I would just like to add, Madam Chairperson, that in the acceleration of Highway 3, there should not be an expectation that this highway is going to be done in less than five years because the funding from the National Highways Program is spread over a five-year period. I do not see this acceleration being anything less than five years. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Steen. Mr. Morin.

Thank you, Mr. Morin. Any comments on that, Mr. Steen?

Thank you, Madam Chairperson. Madam Chairperson, the department and, I am sure, Cabinet will consider any proposals put to us. I cannot commit whether we will accept the proposal or turn over a portion of the highway to a community for maintenance at this point in time, but the department is always open to proposals.

Thank you. Mr. Morin.

Thank you, Mr. Morin. Mr. Steen.

Thank you, Madam Chairperson. At this point in time I am not sure whether I want to make a commitment because I am not clear what I am going to be getting into here, so it is obviously going to set a precedence and I have to be very careful as to what I am saying here or what I am going to get into because I am sure that there will be other regions or other communities asking for basically the same thing. I have to be careful and not make a commitment at this point in time. I will be open to proposals. I do not commit to working with the community to put forward a proposal, however, I am open to proposals and the department is there and available to assist communities with whatever information they may need to put forward a proposal. I cannot see assisting the communities to make a proposal to the department. That might not be proper. With that, Madam Chairperson, I commit the department to assist the community with whatever information they may need, but I cannot commit to coming forward with a proposal that I

would in turn have to consider. No, I cannot do that, Madam Chairperson.

Thank you, Mr. Morin. Mr. Steen.

Madam Chairperson, I already said I would commit the department to work with the community. I already said it.

Thank you. Mr. Morin.

Thank you. I have Mr. Krutko.

Thank you, Madam Chairperson. Just following up on Mr. Morin's comments on transportation. The majority of highways in the Fort Smith region, as you all know, are either paved or chip-sealed. I think that also we have to keep in mind that there are other highways out there and I think that at the present time there have been law suits filed mentioning this government in the past, in which there have been successful cases where this government has been sued because of the condition of the Dempster Highway. In the last year, there have been a number of people killed on the Dempster Highway and I think a lot had to do with the condition of that road. Yet, Madam Chairperson, in the case of the Yukon, they are seriously considering chip-sealing the Dempster Highway on those portions which are gravelled, especially coming from Dawson City and working north.

I would like to ask the Minister of the department, since the majority of the highways in the Fort Smith region are paved or have chip-seal, has your department considered looking at the possibility of expanding the chip-seal program on those other highway systems to improve the surface of those highways or considered expanding the calcium program so we can maintain the surfaces of those highways and make them safer?

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. Mr. Steen.

Madam Chairperson, I am not trying to avoid the Member's question, but this particular question applies to Highway 8, which is on the next page. Perhaps we might want to move on to that.

Thank you, Mr. Steen. Mr. Krutko.

I would like to make a point of clarification here. I am following up on the questions asked by Mr. Morin in consideration that we do have other highways out there. I think we cannot concentrate all of our efforts and energy to Highway 3 or even Highway 4, for that matter. My point is that we have to take into account that there are other highways out there that have conditions which may be more urgent than these highways that are presently being considered. I think that we have to take into account that the majority of the highways in the Fort Smith region are paved or have chip-seal. Yet, you have to realize that we also have to maintain a lot more highways outside the Fort Smith region, which are in worse condition than this highway system that is presently being discussed. I do not believe that my question is out of line. It is following up on the questions asked by Mr. Morin.

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. I do not think that the Minister was insinuating that your question was out of line, but just that from his days of chairing committee of the whole that he may have thought they were better posed on the next page. Do you have a response for that, Mr. Steen?

Thank you, Madam Chairperson. I was just trying to envision where the Member would be referring to chip-seal or more calcium being applied and I presumed he was talking about the Dempster Highway, which is in his riding, although it could apply to any area. I do know that the department is considering applying calcium to those areas that we can afford the calcium. I will ask Mr. Vician if he can elaborate on that for the benefit of the Member.

Thank you, Mr. Steen. Mr. Vician.