Thank you, Mr. Chairman. A few quick comments with regard to Transportation. I think it's very well known that since 1978 we've been talking about the Tuk-Inuvik highway. We're now in 2007 and we're still talking about it. You know, there's been a lot of money spent on the Ingraham Trail, or since I've been here for the last three years anyway. It seems like all of that money is being spent in the southern part of the territory. It always seems like the northern part is being left out in a lot of the project that can happen. Unfortunately, I understand the reason why and the people back home understand the reason why, because mainly we're looking at federal funding for new highways. Again, like I said, I've been here three years already. We've always been told first there was Corridors for Canada I, then they were talking Corridors for Canada II, now we're talking about Connecting Canada: Coast to Coast to Coast. To me, Mr. Chairman, I think it's mostly just talk. There's no action coming from the federal government. I respect the Minister presently, right now, and the previous Minister in Transportation, to really try to get funding for the Tuk-Inuvik highway, and we're only talking 80 kilometres basically. I think maybe $70 million, but again, that would be good money invested because you will make economic benefits to the people back home, you will employ people, people will pay taxes. So eventually the road will be built.

Also, Mr. Chairman, gravel source 177 is only 22 kilometres from the community of Tuktoyaktuk, and I'll bring it up again. That's gravel that the community really needs in order so that we expand infrastructure in the community. I don't know how much more the Minister can do, or the department, in trying to address this problem with the federal government. I think what we need to do now is just make sure that hopefully the Conservatives can put that in their upcoming budget that's supposed to come out on March 19th I think. I hope that they can do something with the resources and the infrastructure that we have up here, because I think it's important.

Mr. Chairman, it's also good to see that the Minister has identified seven apprentices in his department. I think they've done that in the past, years ago with the government. They always seem to have apprentices in their department and I think it's one step that we can get people online here for the potential Mackenzie gas pipeline.

Another area, Mr. Chairman, is I'd like to speak a little more in regard to the marine services. Tuk is well known, like Hay River is well known, for the NTCL terminal buildings. The federal government is talking right now about Canadian sovereignty and I think we should really press the federal government for infrastructure, and again, I'll bring it up, I think Tuk has good infrastructure for that. It's right in the Beaufort Sea. I guess the Canadian Army can utilize one of the camps and I always talk about the camps in Tuk, utilize that as a base. The infrastructure is there. That port is deep enough for their vessels to come in there and I think that it would be a good investment. It will not only help the residents in the Beaufort Sea, but you'd have access right from the west coast all the way down to the east coast. So I think that's a good investment that should be considered.

Another area of importance that the people in Tuk are talking about is in regard to the airport itself. It's a 5,000-foot airport. Right now they're maintaining it and they'd like to keep it maintained to the present level because I guarantee you if that pipeline goes through, industry will utilize Tuk and Inuvik as a base for operations for their personnel. I've seen it happening in the '70s; I've seen it happen when Dome Petroleum was operating, when Gulf...(inaudible)...was operating. They basically bypassed maybe even Inuvik at that time because they could land 737s. So that's another area of interest I'd like to make sure the government continue to pursue.

I just have a quick comment, Mr. Chairman, or a few more here. It's good to see that the department, I was looking at and like the chair earlier indicated that 23 new positions, but again there's a reason behind that because we know that. I think the question I have is the Minister indicated about four highway equipment operators, mainly because of the level of activity for the winter road, but again, do they still require those people after the winter road shuts down and where do those people go? That's another area for consideration.

Again, Mr. Chairman, I'd just like to say once again that again they've invested another $2 million for the Mackenzie Highway and Ingraham Trail. Again, it's disappointing for me and my constituents that you see all this money being spent in the southern part of the territory and nothing really for the northern part, and $13 million for the...(inaudible)...program on the Mackenzie Valley, which I understand the reason why it's being done again.

Just in regard to the bridge repairs, Mr. Chairman, I'd like the Minister to consider, I understand the hamlet of Ulukhaktok are looking at replacing the present bridge from the airport to the community. I think they should consider that, because I became aware of that just recently. I think that's just the general comments I have for now, Mr. Chairman. I will have questions once we get into the details. Thank you.