Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I want to say that there has been some significant focus in the area of the Sahtu, the Member’s riding, for some time now and for all the reasons that he’s listed, including the short time frame where the communities can access the south for shopping or visiting or things of a personal nature. There’s also the consideration among the communities in the Sahtu to be able to have the communities

connected during the winter months so they can travel back and forth.

We have been focusing some considerable investment through the strategic infrastructure initiatives. We’ve managed to target many bridges, along with grade work, in the Sahtu. We would like to have all 42 bridges that we have identified over the years as immediate done over the next while. We indicated, as the deputy has indicated, in the very near future, because in some of the cases we don’t have all the resources identified.

We have targeted over the next while two bridges we’d like to get done, and that’s Jackfish Creek and Bosworth Creek. Oscar Creek is also something that is part of what’s being considered. If the Member feels we should focus on Oscar Creek as a priority, we’d certainly consider that. There is still some work to be done, as the deputy has indicated, but we’d gladly sit down with the Member to have that discussion on where the priorities for investment in the Sahtu are. We don’t have the resources to do all the projects. There are some dollars that may be available down the road through the Building Canada Fund, but we’ve indicated to the Members that we’d like to have that discussion before we make any commitments.