Mr. Chairman, although it may look like we are taking on federal responsibilities, we do not feel that this is the case. What we are finding is that as the federal government approves more non-renewable resource activity, whether it be in oil and gas or mining, it is impacting our highways. We are responsible for those highways. We are also responsible for the winter roads. The winter road systems that we had in the past were initially just to service communities. However, the oil and gas activities are using these winter roads and impacting on those winter roads, and therefore we have to do something in order to counter this impact.

We have approached the federal government and we have entered into a partnership approach with aboriginals as well, whereby the federal government has agreed to some funding. As a matter of fact, it was a two to one on the feds' part for that winter road project. There were some conditions tied to it whereby we had to make conditions so that the aboriginals were the main beneficiaries of the projects. We have done that, and this in turn allows us to build these bridges on these river crossings, and reduces the impact on the environment and allows us to have the winter road open for a longer time.

It is not necessarily to address the needs of the oil and gas industry, but more to address the needs of the communities as well. The winter roads were opening later, so there was a very short time when they were operating. We tried to extend that, and this is what we are hoping we will accomplish.

The federal Minister, Mr. Nault, has expressed to me that he is not really interested in building new roads strictly for social benefits. He would prefer that these new roads address economic development as well, and we assume this is mining development as well as oil and gas activities, which would in turn increase the economic activities in the Territories for all residents. This is how we have been operating under. Thank you.