Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. Mr. Menicoche.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Once again, I will note the Member's concern about having the Department of Transportation staff presence in his region. Once again, due to the workload, it is just not doable at this time, Madam Chair, especially since he is talking about filling out these applications. They don't take much effort. So there is really no reason to establish positions to fill out applications in his region, Madam Chair.

In terms of this program loan and this one is not for highway projects. If some of the other communities that have access to these types of interest, access to other scenic places, that is closer to their communities. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. Mr. Yakeleya.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I hope I am not conveying to the Minister or his department that we wanted one specific application filler to fill out certain forms of application to our community. I am hoping I am conveying the message that during these times, we would certainly appreciate the department to have some presence in our region on a temporary basis maybe. This certainly is pushing back on me in terms of not having a real presence. If you are going to wait until the Mackenzie Valley road, well, you might as well wait another 20 or 30 years. I think that is a far off suggestion right as to how we get people into our region from his department.

The point is, Madam Chair, the Sahtu region is being administered by a regional office out of Fort Simpson on community access road programs like this, infrastructure, our highways. Enough is enough in saying that his department wasn't a temporary presence. Certainly they have offices in our region that other departments have done. It doesn't make any sense. I would do the same thing. But we do see a need for this type of person coming into our region, spend a month or two months in the region, then go back to Fort Simpson when he gets homesick. Come back into our region here. Look at some of these things because things are going to be happening in our region that we really need to look closely at these types of issues here. I would certainly appreciate, Madam Chair, the Minister's willingness to listen on this issue. I guess I am pleading now to another level of requirement that his department would consider. You want an application filler. Lots of people in those communities can take on this part-time job to fill out applications.

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. I didn't really hear a question there or a comment. Does the Minister want to...There is really no question. Okay. Next on the list I have Mr. Pokiak.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Since I can't get anywhere with the highway, can this money be allocated for annual application for an access road for source 177? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Pokiak. Mr. Menicoche.

Thank you, Madam Chair. The Member is being very creative in trying to access this source 177 and begin his road to Inuvik. But $40,000 a year for a $100 million road is going to take a very long time. The intent is not to build highways, its intent is to assist communities in getting out to the scenic areas, develop their tourism potential and to just develop community infrastructure. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. Mr. Pokiak.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I think I have been waiting since 1978, so any little money I can use to access will help me a lot. I will talk with my hamlet members back in Tuktoyaktuk to submit an application for this funding, although it is $40,000 per application. Eventually, I will continue to do that, Madam Chair. It is just more of a comment to the Minister. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Pokiak. Activity summary, community local access roads, operations expenditure summary, $323,000.

Thank you. Page 9-41, activity summary, community local access roads, grants and contributions, contributions, $273,000, total grants and contributions, $273,000.

Thank you. 9-43, activity summary, road licensing and safety, operations expenditure summary, $3.725 million.

Mr. Braden.

Thank you, Madam Chair. The department has, in the past four or five years, established a sterling reputation here in the Northwest Territories and I think in a number of places in Canada in its partnership with students, especially with the youth on awareness about drinking and driving and responsible vehicle use. This was something that had very strong unanimous appeal here in the Legislative Assembly and was something that really gave the students, I think, a sense of pride and a sense that they could make a difference for themselves and among their peers. I was looking, with interest, under this section here, Madam Chair, to see if the department was continuing to give profile and resources to continue this kind of campaign. Of course, it is something that is not the kind of thing you can wave a flag on or send a message out once and the job is done. This is something that needs constant repetition and reinforcement among drivers, especially among youth as new drivers enter the field every year. Madam Chair,

where in this area are we seeing resources and effort going into the excellent job that we already started in terms of responsible driving practice among our youth, Madam Chair?

Thank you, Mr. Braden. Mr. Menicoche.

Thank you very much, Madam Chair. I am glad that the Member brought that up. We certainly are proud to be working with that organization and continue to look for other avenues with which we can work together again to further improve our awareness of drunken driving in the North, indeed. There is really no specific line item here as the Member is asking for, but we have provided contributions and will do so again when we have the opportunity to work together. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. Mr. Braden.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I guess I am a little disappointed to hear there is no sort of specific line item that will carry forward this program. As I say, when it was introduced, I had the expectation that we were going to see this continued. It would be like the butthead campaign that has been so successful in the tobacco reduction area. This is something that just has to keep going and going. We should never lose sight of it or let go of the momentum. I don't want to belabour it, but in fact more to celebrate what we have already achieved, encourage the department to revisit this very valuable part of government's job, I believe, and make it known, as the Minister has just said, that if assistance and funds are available on application, then schools and youth groups know that they can approach the government and that we will continue to be a ready partner for them. So as I say, Madam Chair, continue the job that we did such a good job of starting a few years ago and make sure that the youth know that if they had some good ideas, we will be there to help them out, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Braden. I didn't hear a question there, so we will continue on. Page 9-43, activity summary, road licensing and safety, operations expenditure summary, $3.725 million.