Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. The honourable Minister responsible for Transportation, Mr. Menicoche.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. We have received requests from numerous communities in the Member's riding to keep the road open as long as possible, and I just want to say that it's all weather related. I think the land use permits do have a specific date and there is a date in our contracts as well and we can close it early or later, but it looks like the weather is holding out and it will be day by day, Mr. Speaker. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. Supplementary, Mr. Yakeleya.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Minister certainly has a lot of power, even changing the weather so it's colder, colder times.

---Laughter

So I'll ask the Minister, Mr. Speaker, in terms of his consideration for extending the winter road, does that also mean that there will be some work done on the winter road as it's fairly bumpy in some of the communities? Some of the comments by some of the members and even from the heavy equipment operators and truck drivers are saying that it's pretty bumpy on these roads here. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. Mr. Menicoche.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. We will continue to keep the road open as long as possible and the industry that's operating in that area is interested in keeping the road open as long as possible as well. We will extend every effort to do that, Mr. Speaker. Mahsi.

Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. Supplementary, Mr. Yakeleya.

Mr. Speaker, thank you. Mr. Speaker, I'd ask the Minister in his previous commitment in the previous session in terms of committing to come to the Sahtu and talk to people about some of the road conditions that we have experienced in the last couple of years and some things that we could do to save government money in terms of how do we improve our winter roads in the Sahtu. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. Mr. Menicoche.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Yes, I'll be glad to travel to the Sahtu region to discuss the winter road issues and many others that he has in his riding, Mr. Speaker. Mahsi.