Thank you, Minister Allen. Supplementary, Mr. Krutko.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, it is great to go into the community but I think it is apparent that they have to spend more time than just going into the community. We should have them on the ground working with the municipality. If it takes a week or a month, they should be there assisting them, realizing we have some grave areas, especially in regard to the service that is being provided by the Department of Public Works and Services. It is questionable.

As the Minister stated, they are there to serve the communities. I would like to ask the Minister, do you have any idea how much time was actually spent in the community of Fort McPherson?

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. The honourable Minister responsible for the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs, Mr. Allen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, no, we do not have any specific time that our staff has spent in the community. I just want to reiterate again that our ambition here is to help the community resolve their debt problems. We want to institute a debt recovery plan. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Allen. Final supplementary, Mr. Krutko.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, will the Minister commit to ensure that this group continues to work with the community and find solutions to their deficit problem? I think it is a grave concern. I would like to see this problem resolved as soon as possible. I know we are going to be adjourning next week, but hopefully we can try to have an answer next week before the House adjourns. Is that a possibility?

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. The honourable Minister responsible for the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs, Mr. Allen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we have endeavoured to try to have the municipality lead to some conclusion to the deficit problem. We are aware that they recently had a changeover in their senior administrative officer. With a new SAO in place, hopefully we can work jointly. We have made that commitment and we will continue to stand by that commitment. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Allen. Item 6, oral questions. The honourable Member for North Slave, Mr. Lafferty.

Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. The honourable Minister responsible for the Department of Transportation, Mr. Steen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the department did hold committee meetings with all stakeholders down the Mackenzie Valley, but also in the North Slave. The department did have consultations with the communities in the North Slave and the decision for a route in the North Slave, an all-weather road, will depend on many factors, including which route will serve the largest number of communities, the largest number of mines, which route would have the most construction material available, and also environmental impacts. There are all kinds of issues involved in picking the route. I wish to assure the Member that his communities will be involved if there are discussions on an all weather route in the North Slave.

Thank you, Minister Steen. Supplementary, Mr. Lafferty.

Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. The honourable Minister responsible for the Department of Transportation, Mr. Steen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the department feels that there is a vision. At the present time, the vision consists of the present winter road and it could eventually be developed into an all-weather road into the mines.

The vision also takes into consideration the fact that there are communities in the North Slave and somehow they would have to be involved in the route. Whether there is going to be two routes or whether there is going to be one route, this is something for the future.

Like I said, there are a lot of factors governing where these routes are going to be. One of the specifics about the route right now, the North Slave Geological Province is serviced by an all-weather road that is not controlled by this government. It is there already. Part of our vision is that Northerners control this route, that aboriginal companies and aboriginal people take part in maintaining the route.

If it eventually becomes an all-weather route, aboriginal people and aboriginal groups would have the opportunity to take part in business ventures to construct this route. If, in fact, there is a route through the North Slave communities, the same applies. So there is a vision. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Minister Steen. Supplementary, Mr. Lafferty.

Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. The honourable Minister responsible for the Department of Transportation, Mr. Steen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, this study was ongoing for many years. The strategy refers to the fact that there were previous documents tabled reflecting transportation strategies. It also shows that they did spend a lot of time in consultation with stakeholders. These consultations did require resources. The Department has spent to date, if I remember correctly, in the neighbourhood of $3 million gathering all of this information and putting this strategy together. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Minister Steen. Final supplementary, Mr. Lafferty.

Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. The honourable Minister responsible for the Department of Transportation, Mr. Steen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I am not clear whether the Member was asking whether I did consult or whether I will consult for the route out of the North Slave, but the answer both ways is yes, we will.