Thank you, Madam Chair. It is my understanding that the work, the geotechnical and environmental work, much of that is easily done during winter months, which would

require the work to be concluded prior to May. If we are looking for additional funding next fiscal year, some of that work would get done almost immediately on the heels of the work that is going to be done with the $2.5 million in this supp in an attempt to get the environmental assessment complete so that we can get to the details of the agreement with the federal government. I know the Member said some of this sounds like it is on shaky ground, but we are trying to do what we can so that we are on very solid ground. I think the work that is going to be done, geotechnical and environmental work, is work that is going to be integral to the entire project, obviously, so we need to get that work done.

We do have the $150 million commitment that was in the throne speech. We have the government’s word that they want to be our partner in constructing a highway from Inuvik to Tuktoyaktuk. They committed $150 million, but as the Finance Minister alluded to, we are a ways away from negotiating exactly what the deal is going to end up looking like. That will happen in due course, but from now until then, we have to ensure that we put our best foot forward and do the work that we need to do so that we can be at a point where we can come to the table with that EA and be able to hopefully construct a road between Inuvik and Tuktoyaktuk. Thank you.