Mr. Speaker, the P3 projects and the approach of using a partnership to deal with our larger infrastructure is something we certainly looked at as something that could work with the Deh Cho Bridge project. It is also in the area the federal government looked at in terms of supporting with P3 dollars. We expect those to move forward. We are still waiting for them to set up their management board. Given all of their ingredients that are required to make the P3 work, we would still be very much interested to see what projects are out there, how it can be financed. It would have to be demonstrated, of course, Mr. Speaker. Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, I was quite shocked and surprised to realize there were four reports that this government had in the House in regards to the proposed Peel River Bridge which was proposed when the Dempster Highway was being built back in 1968 and concluded in 1972. At the time that they built the bridge, it was prescribed back then, which was $6 million. Mr. Speaker, I was surprised to hear from the department that their estimates were $70 million. I was floored when I heard that so I looked a little further into it the possibility of at a cheaper price. I would like to ask the Minister, is he open to looking at a proposal that can come forward at a cheaper price than $70 million? I think, realistically, it can be done for $40 million.

Mr. Speaker, we have looked at other proposals that were unsolicited that have come forward to our departments from various organizations and companies. The fact that we have information dating back to the early '60s and ‘70s is certainly something we have in our archives. We have it for most of the major river crossings. It is some of the work that was done and we inherited it from the federal government. So, of course, we would be very much interested to see a proposal from any organization or company for us to review. Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, in regards to the proposal or there is also a letter that came forward from committee supporting looking at the possibility

of a Peel River Bridge, something that I think is doable. We do have a ferry operation there. At some point, you are going to have to replace that. I think, also looking at the concern from the people in my riding is the amount of gravel that is put in that river every year to the tune of some 14,000 cubic metres every year that goes into that river which has been happening for 30 years. That is a lot of gravel that is being put into that river. I think it has a major affect on the habitat in regards to fish and also downstream by way of sandbars. Realizing that there is that potential there, would the Minister seriously sit down with the Gwich’in leadership and myself and also take into consideration the possibility of looking at a P3 project for the Peel River Bridge?

Mr. Speaker, I would be pleased to review a proposal from whoever the Member is referring to. I have an interest on the Peel River crossing. Of course, the proposal will have to make sense. We’d also have to see how it could be accommodated in the capital budget that we have, depending on what the proposal indicates. Debt wall would have to be taken into consideration. We would certainly have to see what kind of federal support would be out there to move forward on a project of this nature. There are many factors that we have to look at. I would certainly be willing to accommodate a proposal if that is the interest of the Member. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Final, short supplementary, Mr. Krutko.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In regards to the economic times we are in today, I think it is probably a perfect opportunity to realizing the price of steel is down, the price of commodities is down and also the price of borrowing is down. This might be a good opportunity to seriously look at that. Again, I would like to ask the Minister, in light of the Deh Cho Bridge project, which basically is a $165 million bridge -- which basically seems like it managed to get through pretty smoothly -- to seriously consider the possibility of a $40 million bridge for the Peel River. Thank you.

I have said it before. We would be pleased to take a look at it. Of course affordability, but the concept and how it is presented to us in the form of a proposal would be of interest. The price tag, the bottom line, our estimates as the Member has indicated, the project is around $70 million. If somebody has a better price, we would be very interested to see why and how. We would be willing to accept something that comes forward to review. There still needs to be a lot of work if we are going to make it a project. We would have to find the resources. We would have to see what the federal government would be able to contribute. There are big things we would have to

look at. We would be pleased to take it for consideration. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. The honourable Member for Kam Lake, Mr. Ramsay.

I have a few more questions for the Minister of ITI and talking earlier, I know Mr. Hawkins was talking about this as well as the government’s commitment to diamonds and the cut and polish industry and the industry as a whole in the Northwest Territories. A question I would have for the Minister and for the government is, has the government given any consideration whatsoever to buying up an allotment of diamonds from the producers here in the Northwest Territories and stockpiling those until the market turns around, Mr. Speaker? Has the government given any consideration to that? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. The honourable Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment, Mr. McLeod.

Mr. Speaker, I think it would be a great investment. I think the markets are going to turn around. If the producers aren’t able to move their 10 percent allotment to local cut and polish plants, I think it would be a prudent investment by the Government of the Northwest Territories to put these aside. Because everybody knows, when you have access to rough, people will come. We talked about a diamond bourse or exchange here in the Northwest Territories. What better way to establish that than to have a supply of rough diamonds available. Again, I would like to ask the Minister if the government would seriously consider buying these rough diamonds and setting them aside so that we can establish a diamond bourse, an exchange here in the Northwest Territories. Thank you.

Certainly we are quite prepared to look at this and bring it forward, put it in front of the standing committee. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, late last year I had some questions for the Minister in regard to the review that was being done on the establishment of a diamond bourse here in Canada. I know the Government of the Northwest Territories has

contributed $20,000 towards that review. I have yet to see the actual review. I would like to ask the Minister where that review is at and what direct influence or input the Government of the Northwest Territories has had on the review. Thank you.

First of all, I would have to find out if there are any diamond companies who are interested in selling their diamonds to us. We would also look at different ways of how we could make that happen. With regards to diamond bourse, we participated in a study that was commissioned by the Government of Ontario. The Government of Ontario has approached us to participate in the secondary second phase of it. We have contributed $20,000 to do so. We will be continuing to participate in that review of establishing a diamond bourse somewhere in Canada. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Final supplementary, Mr. Ramsay.

Mr. Speaker, does the Minister know when this review is going to be concluded and when we might be able to look at it? Again, what impact or influence did the Government of the Northwest Territories have on that review? Thank you.

The paperwork was being done up just recently. I expect the second phase will be starting up shortly. As I have always indicated, the fact that the majority of diamonds in Canada are produced in the Northwest Territories should have an impact on any decisions on where the bourse would be located. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. The honourable Member for Sahtu, Mr. Yakeleya.

Mr. Speaker, my question is to the Minister of Transportation in light of his exchange between me and also the Member for Mackenzie Delta in terms of the Mackenzie Valley Highway. Is the Minister looking at any areas where he could put into the budget of Transportation where there would be dollars identified for the construction of the Mackenzie Valley Highway?

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. The honourable Minister of Transportation, Mr. Michael McLeod.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We had a discussion last week during question period about some of the different ways

we would try to get the federal government to engage in looking at the Mackenzie Valley Highway as a project. In the meantime, we have been working with the federal government to identify different areas that we can improve.

By the end of the life of this government, we should have 39 bridges built in the whole Mackenzie Valley area. We also have been doing a lot of work on various grade improvements. There has been significant investment over the last number of years in this area. It is still an area that we intend to continue to invest in and work towards extending the life of the winter road and improving that piece of infrastructure. We will continue to invest in that area. Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, the Minister has stated that there is certain infrastructure in place to improve the winter road, to improve our highway system up in the Mackenzie Valley here. I would ask the Minister if he is considering putting some dedicated funds…I will wait for the answer in terms of putting dedicated funds...I will wait for the answer in terms of putting dedicated funds in the budget that says to construct the Mackenzie Valley Highway from Wrigley to Inuvik.