Thank you for that clarification, Minister. Thank you, Mr. Abernethy.

Once again, committee, Transportation, information item, revenue summary. Agreed?

Thank you. We are moving forward to page 11-10, Transportation, information item, active position summary. Agreed?

Thank you. We are moving on to page 11-13, Transportation, activity summary, corporate services, operations expenditure summary, $10.063 million.

Thank you. Page 11-14. Transportation, information item, corporate services, active positions. Agreed?

Thank you. Page 11-17. Mr. Abernethy.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Yellowknife has a territorial airport, the largest one in the Northwest Territories where most product coming in by airplane lands first, often. There is a lot of talk about economic opportunities and where we are going as a Territory in the future. I think an airport like the Yellowknife Airport can play a significant role in our future, but it would require some lengthening and some work so that we can land larger planes, international planes which would allow us to bring in planes from Japan or Germany which would support tourism but it would allow larger planes bringing up product and supply which could help industry as industry is moving forward.

We need to support industry and Transportation has a role in supporting business opportunities and the economy in the Northwest Territories. For years, Edmonton was known as the gateway to the North. It isn’t necessarily appropriate anymore. I think Yellowknife could be the gateway to the North. Is there much in the way or any planning work being done to capture and take advantage of some of the opportunities that exist economically by way of making our runways in Yellowknife a little longer, a little bit more appropriate for larger international airlines?

Thank you, Mr. Abernethy. Minister McLeod.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. This is an issue that has been discussed a number of times over the years. We have also continued to engage on those discussions with different agencies, including our tourism folks in NWT. We have identified this as a potential project in our Airport Development Plan that we have for the long-term strategy. Right now we still haven’t put together a business case that would warrant an extension. Of course, we are interested. We just

don’t have it ready to be brought forward at this point. It would still require a lot of discussion and being able to demonstrate it is required and it is viable. Thank you.

Thank you for that. I hope that the department keeps moving forward on that. Just for the record, we talked about tourism. I am interested in tourism. You mentioned tourism, but tourism is not the only area that would benefit from an extended runway. Exploration in the Northwest Territories, mining in the Northwest Territories could all benefit from a more or longer and more substantial runway. This is more of just a comment, but I think work does need to be done in this area.

In light of the fact that we just signed an agreement-in-principle, we are moving forward with devolution. Our future looks fairly bright in the industrial sense, mining, resource, extraction done responsibly. There is nothing wrong with planning a bit ahead and being ready for when those opportunities present themselves. The benefits of devolution probably are still years off, but they are coming. There is no time like the present to be ready. There is no time like the present to start your planning. I would strongly encourage the department to not let this one slide. This is a huge opportunity for the North by way of greater access to the North. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Mr. Chairman, there are a number of benefits that could be brought forward and pointed to as the discussion moves forward on lengthening the airport runways. Right now the domestic flights we feel are okay. It would be probably a desire to have the polar flights have the ability to land at our airports and take off from the airport. Right now they can land but they would have to restrict their weight as they left. That is the challenge. We still need to be able to put the business case together. We need to be able to demonstrate the need. I am not sure if we can do that at this point and whether we as a department are ready. I would say we are. We have the land, we have the plan, we just need to be able to build a business case that would be acceptable to all. It would require significant investment and, of course, there is the challenge of dealing with all our needs across the Territories. Once we can put all the components that are required to build a business case, I am sure this would be able to move forward relatively quickly. Thank you.

Mr. Chairman, I look forward to hearing more.

Thank you, Mr. Abernethy. Committee, we are on page 11-17, Transportation, activity summary, airports, operations expenditure, $29.033 million. Agreed?

Thank you. Page 11-18, Transportation, activity summary, airports, grants and contributions, contributions, $30,000.

Thank you. Page 11-19, Transportation, information item, airports, active positions. Agreed?

Thank you. Page 11-21, Transportation. Mr. Abernethy.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Some of this is going to sound the same. Like I said before, Transportation plays a key role in our economic future. Transportation and opening up our communities is super important to our ability to have a strong economy; strong, healthy people. Highways are obviously a critical aspect just like our airports. One area that I mentioned in my opening comments or opening comments on your general remarks on your opening comments was the Deh Cho loop. I have driven it. It was a wonderful drive. Fortunately, I think I was driving at the one time of year that the Liard Highway was good, because all I hear is really bad stories about the Liard Highway. I will admit right up front I took a Yaris down it and it was okay, but I heard people driving four-by-fours three weeks later were getting their cars destroyed on the same road. Clearly I got lucky. But it is a wonderful road. It is a wonderful opportunity. The land is beautiful. There is a lot to see.

If we were to invest some additional time and money in finishing the link between Simpson and Liard, we would have a second access point, a second quality access point to the Northwest Territories, or North Slave and South Slave anyway, which would be great for tourism. It would allow those communities greater access to affordable goods, because a different quality of trucks would be able to use the road. I sure would like to see more progress made in that area. It would be a benefit for the whole Northwest Territories.

I understand it is not as simple as capping a road. I understand that that road needs... They have significant work right down to its base. I am wondering what the timeline is on and what type of planning is currently underway by highways to upgrade that road so it is a more reasonable link into the South and North Slave regions.

Thank you, Mr. Abernethy. Minister McLeod.