Thank you, Mr. Chair. I want to say to the Minister and the department that, certainly, there’s always huge interest in terms of infrastructure in our smaller communities, especially the ones that seem to need it more in terms of bringing down the cost of living or just have accessibility to other things similar to where communities have all-season roads. I’m just talking about the access into the Sahtu and into other communities that have roads into their communities. I just wanted to say to the Minister that we certainly appreciate the infrastructure dollars coming into our region and how it gets spread across in terms of satisfying all the other regions also for their infrastructure needs. I know it’s a challenge and I certainly hope that through the Minister and his department, to put together some creative arguments and solutions towards the federal government in terms of how do we get more dollars into building up our infrastructure in our communities. I know it’s desperately long thought after in terms of, say, for example, the Bear River bridge in my region. It’s something that we could certainly use. Also, the industries such as oil and gas companies coming, that they can use an extra month of drilling. That means extra dollars of money into the Northwest Territories. It does help us ease with the safety issue and now the discussion on climate change. So those kinds of things are important there.

So I guess what I wanted to say to the Minister is that I know there is a lot of work being done, a lot of

good work is going to get done in the North here, and we certainly appreciate the money being spent in our region in terms of building up our infrastructure. We’re finally starting to see some of our equipment being worked more than three or four months of the year. It’s stretched out to six or seven months, which is a good sign for us. So I just wanted to say that to the Minister in terms of his ability and his team members to go to Ottawa and continue to get more funding and look at other funding avenues to look at some creative ways as to how do we get infrastructure into our regions. That would probably make a lot of people happy on this issue here. I’ll leave it at that, Mr. Chair. Just more comments to the Minister and his staff.

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. I’m sure the Minister appreciates your comments. We’ll go to the next person on my list, Mr. Krutko. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, in regard to the capital estimates, I think that the Department of Transportation has to seriously look at the high cost of maintenance in regard to our highway systems, but more importantly, with the changing climate and the effects that we’re seeing, especially in regard to some sort of...You know, we talk about dust control, we talk about some sort of a road resurfacing appliance that we can put on our roads. I know there are different products that are out there, but I think, as a government, we have to seriously start testing these products on the highways that basically have a hardtop. I think that we’ve seen what it’s done in regard to Highway No. 3 and how we’ve seen an increase in regard to paving and chipseal. I think we also have to look at other new initiatives that are out there for resurfacing. There are appliances we’ve put on our airports. I know in Aklavik they use it. Also, there are new products out there. I know in the past we have requested from the Dempster Highway to try to do some of this resurfacing as a pilot project. We can maybe try it out on the issue in regard to potholes and the cost of maintenance in regard to Highway No. 7, Highway No. 8, and especially where we have major O and M costs associated with having to go out every time there’s a rainstorm, because of the potholes, or looking at the possibility of trying these new appliances for resurfacing.

So I would just like to ask the Minister of Transportation, would he consider looking at going forward in the capital budget to look at the possibility of doing some of these sorts of pilot projects? I mentioned Highway No. 7, Highway No. 8. Maybe just outside the communities so we can see how it holds up. Like, most of the communities, basically, do have some means of applying surface materials. Like in McPherson now we basically have chipseal on the main street, which the municipality sort of manages. Either from the community to the garbage dump or from the

community out to the ferry landing, whatever. But I think it’s something that this government has to seriously consider looking at, especially looking at that as a pilot project. So I’d just like to ask the Minister, has your department considered looking at that in light of the high cost of O and M in regard to resurfacing our highways every time we have either a snowstorm or basically have a major downpour of rain in which we see potholes? That’s when we seem to get the majority of the complaints from the general public. So I’d like to ask, is that something the department is considering looking at?

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. Minister Michael McLeod.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chair, the Member raises an issue that has been somewhat of a challenge over the years for us as a department. We’ve looked at a number of ways that we can suppress the dust on our highways. We’ve also done the same in a lot of the communities. We’ve used different methods and products over the years, calcium, of course, being the cheapest one; however, a very limited lifespan, about one year for calcium. We’ve also used EK35 on some municipal roads and we also used it on airports. It’s a product that’s fairly cheap, but the lifespan of EK35 is somewhat limited, it doesn’t stand up well to high speeds and turning vehicles. So we are kind of limited to a number of methods, one being chipseal, and we have applied the product on a lot of the southern parts of the Territories and we are starting to move forward on Highway No. 1 towards Fort Simpson.

The other products, of course the most favourable product but the most expensive is asphalt. It has a longer lifespan but is very, very costly to apply. So we are looking at new possibilities and other methods of applying dust suppressant. We are convinced it does lower our maintenance costs, but we need something that can be affordable. One product that has come forward that we are currently going to be testing is called Easy Street. It’s cheaper than paving but it’s more expensive than chipseal, and we are being told that it’s also more durable.

All these different applications of dust suppressants on the roads are, of course, based on having a really good foundation. We need to have roads that are well reconstructed with good material. That’s the case in the Member’s riding. There has been a lot of work in the last while on reconstruction. Right now, it’s still a priority that we’d like to consider and we’re looking at ways we can do a test pilot project in his riding or on one of the roads in his riding. We, of course, have to look at the cost factor and we have to look at how do we maintain it. Right now, there is no equipment in that area and that would have to be purchased. So all things have to be considered. Having said that, it’s something that

we’d like to keep in mind for the long term. Right now I think there’s 35 kilometres towards the border that we’d like to focus on for this coming year and get completed over this year and next year, but it’s not something we’ve ruled out yet. Thank you.

Mr. Chair, again, I think that is one way that we can look at it by way of, say, a pilot project on the different highway systems, Highway No. 7, Highway No. 8, and see exactly how this can be applied and tested in those different areas to see how it holds up. Because we are seeing a major difference in regard to the type of weather that’s shifted by way of climate change, the major downpours that we’re seeing by way of major rainstorms, which we haven’t really seen in the past. Also, we’re seeing with permafrost and the effect that it’s having in regard to the changing climate and the temperature and the different weather patterns we’re seeing it is very much affecting the overall condition of our highways. Again, if there is a way that we can find to resurface, protect the surface of our highways, avoid the affect we’re seeing with moisture added to the road that is basically mostly built with gravel and mud that you can get by that.

So, again, you mentioned something about Easy Street. Well, hopefully we can go down the easy street and apply this stuff and we’ll have a better product that we can drive on. Again, I’d just like to ask, would you consider seriously looking at coming forward with some sort of a pilot project in next year’s budget to look at possibly applying some of this stuff to the two highways I mentioned, Highway No. 8 and Highway No. 7, and just see how it holds up on certain sections of the roads? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. For the record, Minister Miltenberger has directed me to Minister McLeod. Minister Michael McLeod.

Mr. Chairman, I can commit to the Member that we can do an analysis of what the cost would be to apply different types of dust suppression and highway top, whether chipseal or Easy Street asphalt, and look at the cost, look at the benefits and look at the possibilities, and share that information with the Member and have a discussion before next year’s budget. We are still at a point where we don’t know what the actual cost and benefit would be from Easy Street. The product is manufactured in Alberta and it’s quite a distance to truck it all the way to the Dempster. So we’d have to see if there was another facility maybe in the Yukon or if there was something similar that could be utilized. But I can commit to the Member that we’ll look at all possibilities and report back to him.

Just finishing off on my favourite subject in regard to access roads to gravel sources and I think if I don’t respond to it, it won’t be doing

justice to the residents of Aklavik. I think that we have to realize that it’s critical that we look at opening up gravel sources around communities and, more importantly, it’s not only for the community, it’s for the regions, it’s for the development of industry, it’s for the expansion of connecting communities, and I think we have to look at these developments in regard to long-term investments. I noted that we have to realize there have been motions passed in this House to look at these as priorities.

Again, I’d just like to raise the issue with the Ministers of Finance and Transportation, just to realize the importance that government has to play in a supportive role to ensure that we assist communities. We have the expertise, we have the people in the department who basically are responsible for building highways, maintaining highways, building roads, airports and whatnot. By having that expertise and also accessing funds from the federal government, regardless if it’s Building Canada Fund, P3 funds or even looking at the possibility of research and development funds, we have to be able to achieve these projects.

But more important for myself is the Aklavik access road to the gravel source. There has been a preliminary study done. They’re now suggesting taking it to the second phase, which is more in regard to an in-depth engineering design phase. So I’d just like to know from the department exactly where is it going forward in the budget that those dollars can be accessed similar to the arrangement in regard to the Tuk access road project, which we’re able to access Building Canada funds and I believe the community of Aklavik is requesting a similar arrangement so that they can also look at it. Again, we just heard from the P3 funds that’s possibly out there. That could be another option. So I’d just like to know what options are out there for the community to move this project forward and assist other communities that have a similar challenge about having access to gravel, which is essential for community building. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. Minister Miltenberger has directed me to go to Minister McLeod. Minister McLeod.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I guess there are a couple of options out there. The community has done a very good job of doing a study that brought the information forward that brought us to this stage where we will probably need a project description report done on the route and the environmental side of it, and also look at the economics of it. Of course, a large stockpile by all stakeholders for gravel needs for the next five years is probably the cheapest way to go, but the community has been very determined that they need a gravel source and we’ve been very cooperative with them. The next step is still yet to

be determined. The report has just come out a couple of months ago and it was not something that was readily available for everybody to come up with an opinion.

My position is that there is the Community Adjustment Fund that I would like to see the community put an application in. I’d be happy to work with them on trying to secure the money, the $1.2 million that’s required for the next step, the next phase, which is the PDR. The Member mentioned that the P3 is available and it is. The community is free to apply for P3. It’s going to require three-quarters of the dollars required for the project to be invested by someone, more than likely by the community. So there are a couple of options open. We would like to sit down and discuss the options with the steering committee and the leadership of the community as to what the next steps are going to be. Thank you.

Thank you, Minister McLeod. Next on my list is Mr. Beaulieu, but before we go there, we’re on general comments. If we have specific questions, let’s save the specific questions on individual projects to the detail line. Next on my list, Mr. Beaulieu.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. First I’d like to ask if you could recognize Laura Boucher in the gallery from Fort Resolution.

Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu. I think you already did. Welcome to the gallery. Back to Mr. Beaulieu, general comments.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I guess I did have more specific questions, but I’ll try to keep them as general as possible.

On the runway stabilization of the Department of Transportation, the projects, I noticed that there is a project cost only for this year in the plan. I’m curious as to what system the department uses to purchase the products, because the products are already in the communities but there’s no prior year’s cost.

Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu. Minister Miltenberger is directing me to go to Mr. Neudorf. Mr. Neudorf.

Thank you. I don’t wish to belay the issue, but I’m still not quite understanding how the system works. If there is no money allocated in a prior year but the product is already there, there’s money allocated this year to apply the product. I’m

wondering if this substantiation is just incomplete or if there’s another way that the product was purchased.

Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu. For the record, Minister Miltenberger is directing me to go to Mr. Neudorf. Mr. Neudorf.

I just confused current year with the budget year that we’re referring to for a second there. On the Highway No. 6, I guess to ask the question that I guess is a similar type of question to how the budgeting works, I noticed that the project title indicates that this project goes from kilometre 0 to kilometre 90, but the actual budget, prior year’s budget plus this upcoming year’s budget will all be spent on kilometre 67 to kilometre 90. So I’m wondering if this again is an item where the budget will eventually be cash flowed out at the same amount that’s indicated in 2010-11 all the way to 2014-15.

So I’m wondering if the money was to be cash flowed out fully to essentially the next five years, counting this upcoming fiscal year, could that flow into the budget and becomes a part of the previously committed section of the acquisition plan.