Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I thank the Member for his statement earlier and the concern for the residents in Nahanni Butte and the condition of the access road there.
The decision was made after the road was looked at. The water covered about 17 square kilometres. Pumping it out, removing the water that way wasn’t an option. When the department looked at the various options of getting the equipment in to do the work this fall, which was what the community wanted to see happen, because of water levels and whether or not the equipment could get in, do the work, and get out, and the safety of the people working on that and the equipment, it was decided that the best approach might just be to wait until the winter when the ground is stabilized and there was no need to worry about water levels. That is what the department is intent on doing. We are going to be repairing the access road but, unfortunately, it’s not going to be able to happen until this winter when everything is frozen and in place and it is safe to repair that road. It will be done.