Thank you. Member for Great Slave.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Madam Chair, I do appreciate that. I just think it is a large amount of money and there is perhaps enough for it to go around for everyone and while I totally am not saying anything about not giving it to Tlicho contractors, I just feel that, you know, we want to make sure that if there are packages that are not going to be done under that agreement that then there is a real northern focus on them so that open procurement doesn't end up with money going to the South. That's more of a comment. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you. Any further questions on asset management? Member for Monfwi.

Planning studies, can they explain that a bit? I don't know what that planning study is because I'm just wondering because I can't find the cell phone services, previous MLA, he mentioned it in last sessions, and I don't see it in the budget here so I'm just wondering if it's still in the planning stage or is that planning study, is that for like cell phone services that you guys are still trying to determine.

Thank you. Minister would you clarify what that section is.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Madam Chair, the planning stage is not in relation to that. I think it's more along the lines for Department of Finance for the cell coverage. We don't really look after that through Infrastructure. Thank you.

Okay. Member for Monfwi, did you have any further questions?

I just wanted to know where those cell phone services was in the budget somewhere but it's not in there, it's not identified so.

Yeah, thank you. Any further questions. Member for Thebacha.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I just want to make a clarification, because it's very troubling that, you know, you go to asset management and most of it says "regional" "territorial." It doesn't give the community, it doesn't, you know -- it's very misleading, and so you look at this and you wonder, well I wonder if they're going to fix some of the problems that we had last year in -- and I don't see anything for Highway No. 5 and we had a lot of problems last spring and we had a lot of rain and a lot of, you know, water and some washouts on that road and I don't see anything in this asset management that is addressing that even though we did have the problem.

And I also don't see anything to -- because I know some of the equipment at that -- at Infrastructure, trucks, and some of those other things that I've mentioned before, are very old. It seems like everything new goes to Hay River, and I'm just wondering about that. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Member. Minister.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I just want to clarify Highway No. 5, we don't -- it's not in the capital budget because most of it is covered with our partnership with the Wood Buffalo Park. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you. Member for Thebacha.

Madam Chair, the parts where we were having problems with last spring and in the fall were not in Wood Buffalo National Park. It was more closer to the community and I remember there was washouts, and there was many things were wrong. Were done wrong. Because I know I was involved in that whole issue with the canal, the Kaiser Canal and there's water everywhere and with washouts, and that's not part of Wood Buffalo National Park. I know that area very well. I lived there all my life and I know the agreement with Wood Buffalo National Park. That's a separate agreement. I understand it. But that's not addressed in this.

And I also mentioned -- I sent an email last year and said, you know, the equipment at the yard of Infrastructure that looks after the highways, which is a division of -- most of our stuff went to Hay River, don't ask me why, but it did, and we're left kind of the crumbs and aging trucks and equipment. And I want to know when that will be addressed. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Member. Minister.

Thank you, Madam Chair. So, you know, I understand the Member's concerned about some of the flooding. You know, we did spend a lot of money on operation and maintenance in the past year, which is not normal, mostly because of perhaps the funding.

The -- I'm just looking at my -- so you look at some of the small -- no, it's not on here. I'm sorry, Madam Chair. If I can have Steve or Mr. Moore to speak to it.

Mr. Moore.

So we're dealing with this asset management in this budget. So am I going to be waiting for next year's budget before I get an answer on how we're going to address some of the issues that I just brought up, because it's not a new issue. I've sent emails and I've made it very clear that some of these things have got to be addressed.

Minister.

I'm hoping not to wait until next year. I mean, this is something we can get back here really quick.

There were some of the concerns for Fort Smith area regarding the lack of stockpile, aggregate material. So those are some of the work that we've done through O and M capital.

Also, during the summer of 2021, activities included the ongoing grade repairs between Kilometer 254 and 262, as well Kilometer 210 and 148. So the drainage and ditch maintenance, blading. So I mean, we're crushing at Kilometer 232. So Madam Chair, what I'm getting at is we have been putting some work into Highway No. 5.

On the completion of the three-year term oh no, sorry. I'm thinking of the park again, that's a separate agreement. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Minister. Member.