David Ramsay

I thank the Minister for that. When you are looking at potential partners, it’s often been discussed locally and in this House and certain circles around the Territory about the lack of a university north of 60. I think if you are asking the right questions in pursuing the federal government, there may be some dollars there if a university is going to be built north of 60. I’d like to see it built in the Northwest Territories, built here in Yellowknife hopefully.

Obviously it’s going to be a big capital expense. I think 60 or 70 million dollars would be on the low side. If you look at the...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I still am quite confused, because you had a program that was working, you had funding that would have enabled it to continue to 2011-2012, yet the $250,000 is gone somewhere. You’re using it for something else and I’m not quite sure I understand what you’re using it for. Whose decision was it to cut the $250,000 out of the respite care program? Was it the department or was it the authority?

I guess the bottom line for me was that the federal funding was set to expire in 2011-2012, yet there have been changes made to that funding and where that funding is going. I’m trying to follow that $250,000. Maybe the Minister could let me know and let this House know where exactly, if the $250,000 isn’t earmarked for the respite program next year, where exactly that $250,000 is going.

Again, I would like to thank Premier Roland and his government for getting us to where we’re at today. Again, Mr. Speaker, the Northwest Territories is very fortunate to have some strong friends in Ottawa who I know have helped pave the way towards this AIP: Senator Dennis Patterson from Nunavut, former Premier George Braden, former Minister Bruce McLaughlin, and Minister Leona Aglukkaq. Thank you.

Can the Minister let us know exactly when the report will be coming through to standing committee and Members of the House on the construction audit? There was a number of concerns regarding the scour rock in some of the structural components of pier 3 south and I’d just like to ask the Minister when that report might be coming through. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’ve got questions today for the Minister of Transportation. It gets back to my Member’s statement in regard to the Deh Cho Bridge and potential financial liability for the Government of the Northwest Territories with that project.

Back in the spring Members were talking to the Minister and the department about a construction audit that was to take place on the project. It was supposed to, at the time, take a couple of months to perform that construction audit. There hasn’t been any report come back through standing committee or to this House. So I’d like to ask the...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.

---Unanimous consent granted

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’m just having trouble trying to understand the numbers. Previously the number that I had was a projected toll revenue of $5.1 million and the most recent the department has provided us was $3.2 million. They also said an increase to 7,100 trucks would result in another $650,000, which would put you at $3.8 million on annual revenue. So how did the numbers drop from the projected $5.1 million to a projected $3.2 million in annual tolls? Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, if it does cost more than $90 million, obviously given winter construction on a project of that size and nature, and given the fact that it is steel that is going to be erected on that bridge, it would seem to me that, given the delays in the project, costs are going to be incurred. If they are incurred, is it the responsibility of the contractor or the Government of the Northwest Territories to pay any additional costs over $90 million? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Will that information also be posted on the Department of Transportation’s website for the public to see? Thank you.