MP Worried About Status of All-Weather Road Talks

MP Worried About Status of All-Weather Road Talks

Tuesday, December 14, 2004 at 22:15

The Member of Parliament for northern Saskatchewan is worried that negotiations to build an all-weather road network in the Far North are about to take a hit.

At a recent meeting between Athabasca leaders and federal negotiators, it was learned that the department of Indian Affairs intends to withdraw its offer to fund one-third of the cost of the project.

Desnethe-Missinippi-Churchill River MP Jeremy Harrison has written letters to both levels of government, encouraging them to return to the bargaining table.

In the meantime, Harrison wants clarification on what Indian Affairs is going to do with its offer.

Federal negotiators and Athabasca leaders both point out that the provincial government funds at least 50 per cent of every road that’s built in the province, and should do the same with this project.

However, provincial officals note that it will be the federal government that will realize the most savings if the roads get built — because barge service will be almost obsolete — and argue that the feds should pay the majority of the cost.