Thank you, Mr. Delorey. Mr. McLeod.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Madam Chair, the potential of a pipeline is becoming more of a reality all the time, and there is concern of how it will impact our infrastructure and all modes of our transportation systems. Our officials have been meeting, they have been doing review and potential impacts. We are anticipating that we will have a report out by the end of this coming summer.

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Next on the list I have Mr. Yakeleya.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Very quickly I will make my comments to the opening remarks. Transportation is a very important area in our region. If it wasn't for some of our people and the history, the North may not have been opened up by some of our people. Some of our "stick people" up in the Sahtu may not have helped with the transportation of opening up resources and development that is happening now in the Northwest Territories. The amount of oil and gas we have in the Sahtu...(inaudible)...happened there last year, companies want to spend time up there looking for that elusive mother of all fuels in the Sahtu. Because of the season and the safety concerns, they are unable to do it. I support the Minister in his comment that by having some thought and some design to the Bear River Bridge that you will bring extra dollars into the Sahtu region. You will give us that extra three weeks of doing shopping and visiting each other. This road is open for three months of the year. Down here we have roads that are open 24/7 almost, so for us it's welcome news that it will pay off in the long run and it's something that I want to let the Minister know that that's something we've been asking for for a long, long time. With the increase of oil and gas in the Sahtu region and other potential development, we strongly support this initiative to have the benefit as do other Members in the southern part of the Northwest Territories take. Please don't close the light on the Sahtu region now when we are finally beginning to open up.

I guess my other comment to the Minister is we have a number of small airports in the Sahtu region. When can we expect to see some work done on these small airports in terms of the assessment? If the activity is going to increase in the Sahtu, they are going to have larger aircraft coming into the smaller communities to pick up people, haul groceries or haul people for employment in other areas. Is there going to be an assessment of our airfields in the Sahtu to keep up with the standards of the types of aircraft that are going to be used in the Sahtu region? Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. I didn't know what you meant when you said "stick people," but I've figured it out now. Thank you. Mr. McLeod.

Madam Chair, the response to that question from the Member is something that I mentioned before, that there is a study going on with Transport Canada. Our officials are working with them and we're trying to analyze the impact of a potential pipeline. All modes of transportation are being evaluated now or what the potential impact for transportation would be. The communities that Mr. Yakeleya represents are included. They are part of the impacted communities along the route, so we will be looking at those communities, also. Again, the study should be done by the end of the summer.

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. General comments on the Department of Transportation. Are we ready to proceed to the detail?

Detail. I'll direct Members' attention then to page 10-9 in your main estimates book. Corporate services, operations expense, total operations expense, $7.996 million. Ms. Lee.

Thank you, Madam Chair. May I ask for a breakdown under other expenses, please? Thank you.

Thank you, Ms. Lee. Mr. McLeod.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Madam Chair, I'll ask Mr. Neudorf to provide that detail.

Thank you. Mr. Neudorf.

Thank you, Mr. Neudorf. Ms. Lee.

Thank you, Madam Chair. May I get the dollar figures attached to the materials and supplies, purchased services, utilities, contract services and fees and payments? Thank you.

Thank you, Ms. Lee. Mr. Neudorf. Oh, I'm sorry. Who would be answering that? Mr. Neudorf.

Thank you, Mr. Neudorf. Corporate services, total operations expense, $7.996 million.

Thank you. Airports, operations expense, total operations expense, $21.932 million. Ms. Lee.

Thank you, Madam Chair. May I get the breakdown for other expense items for $7.3 million? Thank you.

Thank you, Ms. Lee. Mr. Neudorf.