Mr. Speaker, the hon. member for Acadie—Bathurst asked a question. I did not check in Hansard , but if memory serves, it was more or less the same question he asked last week. To a similar question the hon. member will get a similar answer.
I remind the member for Acadie—Bathurst that the federal government has over the years made significant investments in New Brunswick highways. Since 1993, Transport Canada has had four different highway programs with the Province of New Brunswick.
I would also remind him that, through these programs, the federal government has committed $525 million toward improvements to the highway system in New Brunswick.
Some $39.7 million in federal-provincial funding has already been spent on various projects in the Acadian peninsula through these cost-shared agreements.
The province's priority, as well as the federal government's, is to complete the twinning of the Trans-Canada highway.
On August 14, 2002, the Prime Minister and Premier Lord announced their commitment to complete the twinning of the Trans-Canada Highway in New Brunswick at an estimated cost of $400 million.
The Prime Minister of Canada also announced an initial contribution of $135 million toward the federal share of this project.
Furthermore, on September 13, 2002, the Minister of Transport signed the strategic highway infrastructure program agreement with New Brunswick, providing an additional $29 million in joint funding to the province's national highway system.
Unfortunately, routes 11 and 17 are not part of the national highway system and, therefore, are not eligible for funding under this program. The only other program that remains is the highway improvement program, which was signed in 1987. At the end of this fiscal year, approximately $40 million will remain in this program.
Under this agreement, the province is responsible to submit projects for funding. However, the province has already put forward other priorities for the remaining funds.
Should the member, and perhaps the leaders of the provincial opposition parties, wish to convince the province to reallocate these funds to routes 11 and 17, Transport Canada would be prepared to consider their request.
I would also stress that highways are, as my hon. colleague is aware, a provincial responsibility. Therefore, there is nothing stopping the province from improving routes 11 and 17.
As my hon. colleague is well aware, with the two new announcements made last year by the Prime Minister and the Minister of Transport, the federal government has now committed almost three-quarters of a billion dollars toward the highway infrastructure in New Brunswick since 1993.
Clearly, the federal government is doing its share toward the improvement of highways in New Brunswick.