David Krutko

Mr. Premier.

Just for the record, that’s deputy minister of Transportation, Mr. Russell Neudorf. Mr. Ramsay.

My other question was what happens to the remaining whatever’s left over after we basically pay down the debt for the $165 million, after the short time frame we’re looking at, five years? What happens to the debt of the Deh Cho Bridge Corporation on our books after the, sort of, little easement that we’re getting here from the federal government? Where does that debt go? How is it going to be calculated? Is it going to be added to our borrowing limit, whatever the remaining outstanding balance of that debt is?

Mr. Roland.

I’d like to call Committee of the Whole to order. In consideration in Committee of the Whole of bills and other matters: Tabled Document 4-16(5), Executive Summary of the Report of the Joint Review Panel for the Mackenzie Gas Project, and Tabled Document 8-16(5), Supplementary Appropriation No. 2, 2010-2011 (Infrastructure Expenditures). What is the wish of the committee? Mrs. Groenewegen.

Next I have Ms. Bisaro.

Question is being called.

---Carried

We’re dealing with the Department of Transportation, capital investment expenditure, highways, not previously authorized, $165.439 million. Agreed? Mr. Ramsay.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, I’d just like to follow up on the deputy’s comments in regard to getting comfort from the federal government. I’d like to know when will we have the legal authority from the federal government to be able to have this debt on our books and not have it affect our borrowing limit. I’d like to know when is that going to happen and when can we expect that final decision. And if we don’t get it, what happens if we pass this legislation this week and we don’t have the answer next week, how will this debt be handled on our books?

Mr. Abernethy.

Again, we are speculating on the numbers here, but I think it’s something that we have to do at some point, realizing that we have two options. One is to increase the tolls. The other is that the government will have to put more revenues in to offset the costs associated with paying down the debt. I’d like to ask the Minister of Transportation, do we have any accurate numbers today on exactly what the traffic volumes are now and projected going forward, including the possibility of losing 2,000 vehicles here off these numbers going forward due to the Taltson project moving forward and the...