Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my question will be directed to the Minister responsible for Transportation. Mr. Speaker, I received a response to my letter in the area of ice-spraying at the Peel and Mackenzie River crossings. The Minister responded to me stating that the cost has not been included in the department's transportation budget for the Inuvik region in the area of $50,000, and went on to explain the differences between the crossing at Fort Providence and the ones up the Mackenzie River at Tsiigehtchic.

My question to the Minister is, what is the cost for extending the ferry operation at Fort Providence? That is the only place in the Territory where it is done when ice starts forming. I know in the Inuvik region, as soon as the ice starts forming, they pull the ferry out and then the prices in the stores in the communities in the region increase as a result. What is the cost difference? Since the Minister makes a direct correlation between the Merv Hardy ferry remaining in service until full capacity of that ice crossing is in place, and it not being so in Inuvik, so what is the cost difference in keeping that ferry in service until the ice crossing is built up? Thank you.