Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. Mr. Bell.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It's our sense that this office will be for the life of the initial stages of pipeline development and construction. Obviously we have a minerals, oil and gas division that speaks to development much more broadly. So what will happen in future, I am not certain. We do believe that with the development and the construction of this pipeline, we will see much more exploration and activity in the sector and I think that will stimulate a further need for government resources and there will be demands on the existing resources, but we have to wait and see exactly what happens. It was a good sign to see the environmental impact statement filed by the producers' group. The next major hurdle is the construction decision. So I know we are all very keen to learn what the producers will determine in the coming months. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Bell. Final supplementary, Mr. Yakeleya.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, like the mayor of Norman Wells...

...if they are going to run this office out of Yellowknife, perhaps we could look at the mining industry in Norman Wells. In the future, it makes sense. Could the Minister look at rationales to have the Mackenzie Valley pipeline office situated in the appropriate place somewhere along the Mackenzie Valley where the pipeline is running? I think it's logical and makes sense. Would the Minister give some commitment to that for serious discussions in the future?

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. Mr. Bell.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I think we have been quite clear that this is really step one in our approach to dealing with this immense project. We know it will need further resources in the regions that will be affected by this pipeline and by this development up and down the valley and we have to have an approach and strategy. I am relying very heavily on our joint Cabinet/Regular Member committee to provide much of that direction on how we adequately resource the regions.

As well, I know the Member is aware that I have written to regional leadership to discuss this issue as well, and to solicit input from regional leadership on how we might approach this. But, Mr. Speaker, with all due respect, I think I can state categorically that Hay River will be severely impacted by the development of this pipeline. The impacts on infrastructure in Hay River, because of its location as a logical hub for logistics and transportation, will be immense. It does make sense in my mind to have resources on the ground in Hay River. Does that preclude or mean that we don't need to resource the other communities up and down the valley? No, it doesn't, Mr. Speaker, and we will certainly be working on that in the coming months. Thank you.

Item 6, oral questions. The honourable Member for Sahtu, Mr. Yakeleya.

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. Minister of Transportation, Mr. McLeod.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The issue of safety has been raised in a number of communities during our tour of the Sahtu. That was an area that is receiving a lot of activity, a lot of transportation, because of the oil and gas activities up there. We have heard numerous issues being brought forward by the communities. The biggest one is having some more of a presence with our highway patrol and that's something we are looking at. We are also looking at the signage that needs to be done up there and we are looking at how we can accommodate that. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Supplementary, Mr. Yakeleya.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would ask if the Minister would commit to do more than look at it, but put together an action plan for the people of the Sahtu that they can physically see signs going up on the winter road and they can see the presence of law enforcement officers to help with the safety of these heavy vehicles that come up into the Sahtu. I am afraid that there is an accident waiting to happen in the Sahtu with regard to the increase of oil and gas activity that's going to be happening up there. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. Mr. McLeod.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, once again, I wish to assure the Member that we are aware of the need for signs in the Sahtu. We will start putting the sign action plan, as he requested, together and try to get something in place. We are hoping that we will also work with industry. We have had several meetings with different companies to look at ways we can work with them to improve the safety of the road in the Mackenzie Valley area. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Supplementary, Mr. Yakeleya.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you, Minister McLeod. There is also an issue on the winter road project of the Great Bear ice crossing. The elders have said over the years that the ice has been decreasing and is getting thinner and thinner. We are looking at other alternatives to using that winter road. They want to look at all options. Would the Minister be committed to talking to the people in Deline in terms of options about the winter road routing?

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. Mr. McLeod.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The issue of climate change has been something that's been becoming more and more serious as we start to see changes in our transportation infrastructure. This past summer, we signed an agreement to work with Transport Canada to do a climate change study that would look at what climate change is doing to our infrastructure. The winter roads around Deline are of concern. We've highlighted this as a scenario we should look at. We will provide the results as we receive them. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Item 6, oral questions. The honourable Member for Hay River South, Mrs. Groenewegen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I just wanted to follow up with a couple more questions to the Premier on the proposed hydro development on the Bear River. Mr. Speaker, the Premier referred to the financing on this project as potentially being money borrowed from investors not involved in the energy business or those who perhaps are in the energy business. Has the Government of the Northwest Territories or the Power Corporation ever received solicited or unsolicited expression of interest by a private company in the energy development business interested in the Bear River development? Thank you.

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. Minister responsible for the Power Corporation, the honourable Premier, Mr. Handley.

Mr. Speaker, yes, the government has received inquiries and verbal expressions of interest in the hydro potential in the Northwest Territories. Included in that, of course, would be the potential of the Bear River. It's only, Mr. Speaker, I want to emphasize, inquiries only. It's nothing as formal as a proposal. Thank you.