Mr. Speaker, we can deal with the specific issue if there is a particular person that needs attention. If that name could be brought to our attention, we can probably deal with that fairly quickly. The larger, broader issue of transition and how we're going to see that process develop and unfold is something we're working on. We have some meetings planned for this month and there are a number of issues that we have to develop, but we will place priority on ensuring the land

transition is done in a smooth and effective manner and people can still access properties. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Item 6, oral questions. The honourable Member for Nahendeh, Mr. Menicoche.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Today my questions are for the Minister responsible for the NWT Housing Corporation, with the issue of exploring the use of log homes or doing pilot projects for log homes. I know that historically, even recently, that the log homes have been very expensive and recently someone asked me about the squared log homes where they are squared on three sides. They went up rather quickly, they seemed relatively cheap. Has the corporation done some research with the squared log home construction? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. The honourable Minister responsible for the Housing Corporation, Mr. Krutko.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we have been doing pilot projects in different communities with log construction. We do have a program in regard to log homes. But because we've had problems in the past with structural problems with two-story units, we're now recommending that if anyone is going to get into log construction, that they keep it a single floor construction because there is shifting, which is causing problems. But we do have those types of programs. We've done pilot projects in the different communities on log construction. So we are open to looking at those types of proposals.

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. Your supplementary, Mr. Menicoche.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Has the corporation done any research into the squared log homes? I go visit the small communities in my riding and many of the older homes, in excess of 50 years that are sitting there, are squared log homes. At one time it used to be standard to build squared log home buildings. So there must be some research by the Housing Corporation done in this area. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. Mr. Krutko.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as I stated to the Member, we are open to pilot projects, if he can come up with the idea in regard to these square logs for home construction. We are hoping to use more of our northern products such as our trees for home construction. I think that we do have to work with communities and, as he stated, the homes have been built in the past and it is proven that you can construct homes with logs in the North. So it is something that we are definitely open to. So again, I'd just like to suggest to the Member if he could maybe come forward with some sort of a proposal for the community that he is talking about, we are open to look at that through a pilot project in regard to these log initiatives that we do have through the corporation. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. Supplementary, Mr. Menicoche.

Mr. Speaker, I'm glad to hear that the Minister is willing to continue to entertain proposals with regard to log home construction and I know in the past there were some cost barriers. Would all the proposals be open, or is there a restriction to the type of building they would like because it sounded like the Minister is opposed to maybe a two-story construction? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. Mr. Krutko.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, like I stated, we do have a log housing initiative that is a policy within the Housing Corporation. So under that program we see any log homes being constructed that sort of follow the criteria of that initiative, because we have had problems in the past with construction of two-story facilities because of the shifting of the ground and also the logs not settling right. Because of that through, this new initiative we have basically directed people that want to build log homes that there are certain criteria they should follow. So if the Member would like, I can give him a copy of the log housing initiative that we do have so he can see what's in the guidelines in that program. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. Final supplementary, Mr. Menicoche.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I kind of like that the Minister is still willing to look at log home construction and that there's no known policy that they're not going to be looking at that. Just one more time for the record, Mr. Speaker, if the Minister can tell this Assembly that the corporation is still willing to engage and do pilot projects and build log homes in our communities. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. Mr. Krutko.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, again, for the record, we are supportive of log home construction in the North. We do have a log housing initiative policy program and we have those pilot projects in communities to do that. So we are open to pilot projects and also to ensure that we do have log home construction. Thank you.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, there's a song that goes something like this: you can't roller skate in a buffalo herd, you can't roller skate in a buffalo herd. However, I think the song could be more appropriate in the Sahtu. You can't roller skate in a goat herd, you can't roller skate in a goat herd and the emphasis I want to put on, Mr. Speaker, is roller skating. I want to ask the Minister of Transportation, in the Sahtu region, after the construction of all the bridges, when will they start on an all-weather road into the Sahtu from Wrigley up to Tuktoyaktuk? When will that be constructed? Thank you.

---Applause

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

Thank you. I'd like to compliment the Member on his singing capabilities. Mr. Speaker, I guess the answer is very obvious. The construction of new roads still lies under the responsibility of the federal government and we'll build these new roads as soon as we access the dollars from them and have that commitment. We have put together a number of proposals over the years to access some dollars. We plan to do that again and we continue to put investment in the Mackenzie Valley winter road. We have done a considerable amount of work in the last few years and we plan to do a lot more. We plan to do all the bridging by the year 2009, that's including the Bear River Bridge.

Moving that forward would increase the season by a number of weeks and we have to still remember that it's classified as a winter road. The trucks that operate on this winter road still use chains; they are obligated to use chains. So it's really going to need commitment from the federal government, and we commit to doing the lobbying on that front and, again, I guess the short answer would be to have the federal government commit to it and that's where we're at. Thank you.

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