Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my Member's statement today is about the Mackenzie Valley winter road bridge program. This past July, much to my dismay, I received a letter from the Minister of Transportation advising me that $1 million would be taken from the Mackenzie Valley winter road bridge program. The Mackenzie Valley winter road program is an ongoing capital infrastructure project that began in 2000 with the goal of extending the operating system of the Mackenzie Valley winter road with the installation of permanent bridges over the stream crossings. The plan for this fiscal year was to complete 12 bridges between Norman Wells and Fort Good Hope at the cost of $8.4 million.

In this letter, the Minister assured me that the nearly 20 percent reduction would have no effect on the number of bridges to be installed, nor the abutment. He told me that reduction in the funding would only affect grade improvements. Mr. Speaker, all of us can do the math. If a 20 percent cut to the total program budget for this year will not affect the bridges or the abutment, the greatest portion of the program must be absolutely gauged. I'm quite troubled with the Minister's officials who were unable to exactly tell me what effects the reduction in funding allocated to grade improvements would have been. I'm sure any of you who have travelled this road know that grading has a huge impact on the quality and safety of the highway.

Mr. Speaker, I strongly object to the reduction of the funding for this important project. The Mackenzie Valley winter road bridge program is an important project, not only for the people of the Sahtu but also for the oil and gas development in the region and the economy of the NWT as a whole.

Mr. Speaker, I believe that solid infrastructure is the key to development. Our highways are under a lot of pressure and it's essential that they continue to be safe for the arrival for all oil and gas development in the region and for families who use the road as a link to capital cities and further south. It seems like a crazy time to be delaying a project like this.

With the filing of the application late last week, the pipeline is now one step closer to being a reality. The Mackenzie winter road project will only see more industrial traffic in the future. The winter roads really take a beating from the heavy trucks. As a father, quite frankly it frightens me to think of my family travelling down the highway. I worry about the safety on the highway of the people in the Sahtu, as well as those who make a living driving up and down that highway.

Mr. Speaker, I put the Minister on notice that until such time he can properly assure me that the $1 million reduction to the budget for grade improvements for the 2004-2005 Mackenzie Valley winter road bridge project program will have no effect on the timing and completion of the project...