David Ramsay

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. No, it doesn’t. Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the Member’s question. I think there is a lot to learn. I commented on Ms. Bisaro’s questions about a complete look back at the project once it’s complete. We need to ensure the upfront work is done so that we know what we are getting ourselves into. That’s what we intend to do on future projects, is do that upfront work so that we can ascertain costs and risks before we venture in. Thank you.

Thank you. Those items would predate my tenure as Minister of Transportation, but I’d be more than happy to get that for the Member. Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the Member’s question. No, there wouldn’t be. We still do have the sum. It was about $13 million from the Government of New Brunswick. We have remaining in that account about $7 million. That is to address deficiencies or issues after the bridge is complete. We will be able to look at some of that work. It is minor work. That funding is in place to allow that to happen. Thank you.

Thank you. We’re anxious to begin growing our resources here in the Northwest Territories and in the Slave Geological Province. A lot of revenue will depend on truck traffic across the Deh Cho Bridge. So if we can grow our economy and get more trucks moving across that bridge, we’ll increase the revenue there. So again, it’s all dependent upon truck traffic that crosses that bridge. Thank you.

While I say we need to look forward, and I do believe wholeheartedly, we have to see this project through to completion, and we’re going to do that, once the project is complete, and I’ve made this commitment to the House in a previous sitting, is that we will go back, we’ll take an entire look at the project from its inception, so that we can learn some valuable lessons in other future large infrastructure projects around this territory. There has to be lessons learned. I believe when we go back and take a look at the process, how things unfolded and how they came together, I think that’s...

Mr. Speaker, it’s not going to cost us any more money. That is the message that we have to get out there. If the bridge wasn’t going to open this fall, we would be faced with a minimum of $9 million for various costs associated with the delay. We would also have hanging over our heads a number of claims, a myriad of claims that exist for the last couple of years with Ruskin.

What we have done is get some budget certainty and, again, that budget certainty, we have $13.7 million left in the construction budget. We are looking for another between $7.2 million and $9.5 million to add to that $13.7...

Again, the decision to negotiate the construction contract originally with Ruskin was not a decision that I made. I’m responsible for decisions that I’m making and this Cabinet is making in regard to this project. Again, in answering other Members, it’s quite clear, if you look at the options that presented themselves, what this government should do. I’m not sure what Members opposite would consider a prudent thing to do. Just throw our hands up and let the project mire in this long, drawn out claims and fight with the contractor, and be locked in a legal battle for years to come and the...

Mr. Speaker, I would like to provide this answer. Back in March it became apparent the contractor wasn’t going to be able to complete the project on time. We had a number of options, three of them. The option that we chose was to work with the contractor to figure out a way that we can negotiate the claims that are out there and complete the project on time in November. That was the schedule that we wanted to maintain. That’s how we negotiated an end to the claims and also put ourselves in a position where we could say that everything is included in that deal. We’re going to have the bridge...

I’m responsible for decisions made during my tenure as Minister of Transportation. This is a decision that I have made, with the support of my Cabinet colleagues, to move this project forward to ensure that the bridge is complete in November. This was the best course of action that the government could take at this time. It’s not easy coming back and asking for more money, but this is the best that we can do. I assure Members that we are doing all we can to ensure that the project is complete this November and that we get the budget surety and certainty that we’re after.