Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, the Member asked how we could possibly address the needs of all the communities, including Lutselk'e. I guess the best way to answer the question would have been if we had enough funding to do the job, we could do it. We are really limited in our ability by the amount of funding we have for this particular program. That's why we stressed that it's so important that we work with Transportation. I think the standing committee and Committee of the Whole recognized this because the motion directed us to work with Transportation to do the job. Like I said, I am not trying to change Transportation's schedule for their airport resurfacing or highway jobs, but that's where we are limited, our ability to chipseal communities. If there was a program in Lutselk'e where there was stockpiling, crushing and chipsealing, then it could be done in the short-term and we could bring it in again by barge and out again by barge. That is something we can look at, but at this point in time all I can do is take that proposal to Transportation and see what the cost would be.
I think one of the things the government will be looking at from this program is that it's so effective in dust control and it's so popular that we are going to have to look at putting more money towards it. That's about all we can look at for addressing all the communities. I have communities in my own riding that are in the same situation as you. They are never going to see a chipsealing over there. On the other hand, we have to keep certain things in mind as far as trying to prioritize these things. It can't be all based on politics. There has to be some practical decisions here. How many vehicles are in the community? It's one thing to say that all communities have dust, but we should look at how many vehicles are in the communities and the populations of the communities. As a matter of fact, I think that's one of the conditions that was recently put on this program was it had to have a population of 500 or more. This department has made an effort to make the supply to those communities even though they are smaller than 500, but are still in need, like the Member said. Everyone has a need to control dust. We don't disagree with that.
So all I can suggest is that we can keep working on the program to improve the program, but we are limited in our ability to actually see where the chipsealing goes because we don't have the equipment. The equipment is with Transportation. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.