Very good. Mr. Neudorf.

The airport study: is that an airport strategy that we build from, in regard to work we’re

proposing for future development so that we can share with other jurisdictions? I noticed the Minister released that publication last week about the three different territories dealing with different infrastructure issues. Is that part and parcel of that overall strategy?

One of the interesting discussions I had in terms of the various jurisdictions…. I’ve talked to Mr. Lang, the minister of transportation for the Yukon government. We had some discussions about working together, and one of the areas we looked at was the Fort McPherson airport expansion project we want to do. We have different jurisdictions, different needs. We do have various development project plans, and then we completed the airport runway length study, so we are seeing where we can work together in terms of helping each other through our trials and needs in terms of our transportation in the North here.

Thank you,

Mr. Yakeleya. No further questions.

We’re on page 9-17, Activity Summary, Airports, Operations Expenditure Summary: $27.887 million.

Department of Transportation, Activity

Summary, Airports, Operations Expenditure Summary: $27.887 million: approved.

And on page 9-19, Airports, Grants and Contributions: $25,000.

Department of Transportation, Activity

Summary, Airports, Grants and Contributions: $25,000, approved.

Page 9-20, information item, Airports, Active Positions.

Department of Transportation, Activity

Summary, Airports, Active Positions, information item (page 9-20), approved.

Page 9-21, information item, Airports, Active Positions.

Department of Transportation, Activity

Summary, Airports, Active Positions, information item (page 9-21), approved.

Page 9-23, Highways, Operations Expenditure Summary. Mr. Hawkins.

Thank you, Mr.

Chairman.

Mr. Chairman, I’m just curious about how much work is planned for this summer on Highway No. 3. I’ve been on the highway a fair bit. It needs almost warranty work, and it’s just barely finished. I’d be surprised if the paint on that road is dry yet. I mean, the heaving, or, as some field professionals would

describe it, the ice lensing, has caused some twists and turns.

I’m just wondering what work’s going to be done to repair that. It’s a shame that that highway, just completed, already needs work.

Mr. Chairman, I want to state also that the crews on all our highways do very good work. They have worked very well. We have contractors up in the Beaufort-Delta. We have contractors in various areas in terms of the Gwich’in area. We have our own-force work in various locations. All the contractors and our own-force work have done an excellent job.

I want to state that on Highway No. 3, they are going to be doing some line-painting work there. I’d ask my assistant deputy minister to get into the specific location of Highway No. 3.

Is any of this…? Well, I should first say I wasn’t questioning the quality of our road crew, in the sense of their work or their efforts. It was more about the context of the warranty of that road. It’s brand new. We had the launch, the ribbon cutting, when Minister McLeod was the Minister there. He quit the job as soon as the road needed warranty. He was there for the ribbon but not the maintenance.

The issue for me is that the road’s just finished, and it already needs maintenance. Isn’t there any warranty issue we’re able to take up with the builders of this road?

Mr. Chairman, very rarely do our workers, contractors, our own-force get the acknowledgement for the work they have done. I wanted just to state that while I had the opportunity.

The comments from Mr.

Hawkins in terms of

warranty work…. Certainly, there are various different types of warranty in terms of our highways construction or any type of work we do in the Northwest Territories. On certain specific warranties, I would like to ask my deputy to talk about the warranty work he’s making reference to.

Thank you,

Mr. Neudorf. Mr. Hawkins.

My concern, as well as that of a number of my constituents and a lot of people I know in Yellowknife, whether they live in my riding or not…. The fact is, there are a number of people who drive out. It seems as if an area was just finished, then chipsealed, then painted. You barely get through a season before it seemed to degrade quite significantly. Even the last time I was out on that road, which wasn’t that long ago, you could see significant adjustments, which causes me to wonder what’s happening here.

I just find it odd that we wouldn’t put some type of workmanship warranty on there that addresses the issue of the heaves there. The question arises, which is: was the technology there to build it properly or was the time taken to build it properly? Was that time used wisely? The permafrost issue is significant, and it causes grave concern when we’ve spent at least $100 million, I’m sure, on that highway, if not a lot more than that. It just seems like we didn’t get the $100 million-plus lifespan out of that. That causes concern here in Yellowknife.

Mr. Chairman, I’d like to say that we are challenged very, very uniquely in terms of building roads in the Northwest Territories.

The road that was built, Highway No. 3 — I’m very confident it was built to the best of the ability that the Northwest Territories builders can build a road. That road is very good. I have seen roads in the Northwest Territories that we are reconstructing right now. People in those regions would appreciate that we continue to reconstruct the roads.

I would say also to the drivers on all our roads to drive to the conditions of the road, to the speeds of the road, and know that we are continuing working on our roads, here on Highway No. 3. I know there’s lot of people who travel. I do travel, my family does travel, and my family does travel on Highway No. 3. We see the workers out there.

We are doing the best we can in terms of balancing our investments right across the Northwest Territories to ensure that everybody has the ability to enjoy their existing roads. We’re protecting that infrastructure. We’re going to continue to invest right across the board to see that people right across the North enjoy the roads they have right now and also to improve them. I appreciate the people from Yellowknife in terms of the many travellers we get here. We’ll continue working on the roads, on what we can to do to improve.

We’re also very open to look at new initiatives, new technology in terms of how to deal with the perma-frost, how to deal with the thousands of trucks that come by here from the mining companies. We are looking at ways we could improve our roads system. I think the people in this area are very lucky because of the quality of work that has been done on these roads. We will continue to improve, and I hope that through this budget process you would give us the opportunity either to build or not to build in the North.

Thank you,

Mr. Yakeleya. Moving on, Mr. Menicoche.

Just with respect to highways, there are many, many kilometres that go through my riding. Second to housing, I get lots of inquiries about concerns about the conditions of the highway, and I would be remiss not to mention it this evening.

Of late, of course, is the condition of Highway No. 7. People are patiently waiting for it to get repaired. I think I brought it up in the House earlier today during question period, trying to get some answers about when the work will begin, et cetera. But I can appreciate as well, of course, Mother Nature has to cooperate. As long as there’s a plan in place, I can go home and let them know the work’s going to begin soon. That was the reason I asked the Minister to please draft a letter to the community. The leadership will be getting the phone calls and the e-mails, just as I am, too.

One of the particular things I wanted to achieve during this budget session was to ensure that chipsealing identified for Highway No. 1 and Highway No. 7 is in the capital plan. I’ve been working with the Minister on that, and of late he said it is in the capital plan. I’d just like to get some assurance it is, and where along the line it is, because we have several different types. Some are five-year; some are 15- or 20-year. And then there’s one way down the line. I’d like to know which one is on there, Mr. Chair. With that, I’d turn it over to the Minister.

Thank you,

Mr. Menicoche. Mr. Yakeleya.

Thank you,

Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, one of the unique and unusual circumstances Mother Nature is playing on us on Highway No. 7 is heavy rainfall. However, I’m sure the people of Nahendeh and certainly the Member, in terms of the reconstruction outlined by my officials and our communication strategy…. They also have to provide me with plans of how we’re going to reconstruct the sections that need to be reconstructed on Highway No. 7. That road will be closed from time to time. This is due to a proper reconstruction of the road here.

However, in terms of the chipsealing of our roads, we’d like to see all our roads be properly reconstructed, and they would be considered into our capital needs assessments and reconstruction. We are looking at all roads. Hopefully, all roads would be properly reconstructed, properly maintained, and then we can start…. Hopefully, one day I would see chipsealing on sections of Highway No. 7. You guys so passionately talked about our roads over the last couple weeks here in the Northwest Territories.

Absolutely. All of our roads have got to be properly reconstructed and rebased. I know that of the last round of CSIF funding, which ends this year or next, a lot of those resources are dedicated to Highway No. 7 — for the most part, I believe, Highway No. 1 from the Providence junction toward Fort Simpson. I think it’s 30 or 40 kilometres, down where the culverts were replaced, as well as Highway No. 7 from the B.C. border toward Liard. Those are particular sections I would like to see some planning on, some movement toward chipsealing those sections. If there are any identified areas, those would be the ones.

The Minister didn’t really say which capital plan the goal is to put it on; it certainly is my goal and the goal of Nahendeh residents to see it worked toward. Particularly when the pipeline talks were imminent, there was an argument about whether you chipseal the road and then have the big trucks roll over them and destroy them, or do you leave it

a gravel road and then pave it after the trucks have all passed through? I don’t know. I haven’t seen any facts or figures, but I’m sure the department has. I think that many, many other jurisdictions chipseal or pave first, and that affects the safety of everybody involved, with the enormous projectiles and everything from many, many vehicles.

Just on that alone I’d like, once again, to ask a question. Maybe the Minister would show me — it doesn’t have to be tonight, but soon — the capital needs assessment and just where Highways No. 1 and No. 7 would fit with the new Building Canada Fund. I’m sure that’s intended with the CSIF funding that’s expired.

Mr. Chair,

the

chipsealing of these highways is within these departments’ capital needs assessments.