Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I want to ask the Minister if the airport division has done some analysis or projections regarding the Sahtu oil and gas early exploration activity in and around Norman Wells and Tulita. I met with the Deline Charter Community last week and they were asking, because of the increase in that airport facility they are starting to see more and more activity with passengers and freight, and they were asking if the department would consider, in its capital plans, to expand the airport terminal in Deline.
Also, if the Minister could help me out with types of analysis that his department is taking in regard to the oil and gas activity that’s going to happen this winter in Norman Wells and Tulita, and also in the future with Fort Good Hope. I just received the award bids for that community in that area. Basically, it’s the Sahtu-wide infrastructure on transportation – marine, airport and roads – so I’ll be asking the Minister these questions throughout this process here. But I want to know about the airports in our region.
I also want to take the time to say thank you to the Minister and the government for working very well with the community of Colville Lake in their construction of the new airport. It was a job well done. It was top notch. The Minister and his staff need to be commended on this work here. There are very rare times that we commend the government on good work from time to time, however, when the Minister is up there with his staff members that the people up in Colville Lake were very happy that they were allowed to expand their capabilities and skills to prove that the small community in Colville Lake could build a $13 million airport. I want to just thank the Minister for that job that was well done by everybody that was involved.