Thank you, Madam Chair. I thank the Member for his comments. On the first issue regarding the Deh Cho Bridge cost overruns, I want to point out, first of all, we are not at a point where we have any final estimates. The true cost will come about in the form of a construction tender. That's when we will know where we actually are. There has been a lot of discussion over this issue. I should point out that we have an MOI, or memorandum of intent, that spells out that the cost be restricted to a point that can be accommodated to a $5 to $6 per ton charge. So we already have guidelines in place. Prior to us or this government signing a concession agreement, there would be a requirement to know the actual cost. We would have to see the actual tender before we could sign the deal for a concession agreement. We would not do that without firm prices. So I want to reassure the Member that there are some safeguards in place.
Regarding relocating the camp with the combined services building, that is something that we already agreed to. At the time the highways camps reach the end of their life, we could certainly consider relocating them to a more suitable location. If that location is the combined services area, we would do that. There are other facilities that probably could be accommodated in that area.
With CARS contracts with NAV Canada, that transition has been working out very well. The contract has been allocated by NAV Canada to a company called ATS Services. I believe they have a base here in Yellowknife and also in Fort Smith and they have an office also in Ottawa. So the transition there has been going good.
With the issue about the Edzo airport, we have not had any discussion with the community regarding that issue. We have not talked with the leadership from that community. We should also point out we have not had any requests to embark on a discussion regarding the airport itself.
The contracts for providing the winter roads in the North Slave area are expiring this year. We will be looking at the winter roads and doing an assessment and reviewing that whole contract again and going out to select a new contractor as our requirements have it.
The Wekweti road has always been a concern. We are very dependent on what happens at Colomac Mine in terms of cleanup in that area. As to having the resources to provide the road into Wekweti. There are very low traffic volumes coming to this community; I think they average about 18 vehicles a year. It's always the cost of providing that last stretch of road from the Colomac Mine to the community that has been distributed amongst the people who are bringing in resupply to that area. It's basically a
cat train road. We have had some contact with the community leaders. In fact, we have a meeting set up for this Thursday, with the chief and some of his representatives, to discuss the future of this road and the situation we are in with this road.
The Rae-Edzo highways camp, I would need more information as to the Member's comments on reductions at this camp. We have not made any reductions in that camp. We just tried to do a quick analysis from our staff here on when the last time there was a reduction at this camp. It's got to be at least six or seven years ago, or further. We have no plans to reduce any staff at that camp. We do not have a mechanic at that camp. The mechanic work is done here in Yellowknife. Maybe we could sit down with the Member and try to deal with some of the concerns he has with the Rae-Edzo camp. Thank you, Madam Chair.