David Ramsay

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I give notice that on Wednesday, October 20, 2010, I’ll move the following motion: Now therefore I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Monfwi, that the following individuals be appointed by the Commissioner of the Northwest Territories to the Human Rights Commission for the Northwest Territories effective November 1, 2010: Mr. Roger Wah-Shee of the city of Yellowknife for a term of four years, and Mr. William Turner of the city of Yellowknife for a term of four years,

Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, in regards to the debt servicing on the bridge, at what point in time is the government liable for the almost $8 million in debt servicing if that project isn’t completed by November of next year? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I want to follow up with some of the questions I had earlier for the Minister of Transportation in regard to the Deh Cho Bridge Project. I would like to just ask the Minister, the remaining balance on the work to be concluded on that project is roughly $90 million. I am just wondering, given the fact that the steel still hasn’t shown up in Fort Providence, is there any indication that the cost of building this superstructure on that bridge in the coming year or 18 months or whatever it is going to take, is going to cost more than the $90 million, Mr. Speaker. 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

Going back to the plan that the Minister presented two years ago and talked about balancing budgets, I’m not sure exactly what she’s talking about. I’m not standing up here today suggesting that programs be cut, services be cut. I’m suggesting that we come up with a workable solution and a plan going forward.

I have a question that I don’t need a long, verbose answer to. I’d like to ask the Minister, is the department and Stanton Hospital, is there an intention to start charging people for parking at that hospital?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’ve got questions today to the Minister of Health and Social Services. It goes back to my Member’s statement where I was talking about deficits that have been accruing specifically at Stanton, which is what I want to talk about today, but at other health authorities across the Northwest Territories.

Eighteen months ago the Minister came to committee and presented a plan that would see those deficits get back to zero. In fact, over the past 18 months deficits at not just Stanton but at other health authorities across the Northwest Territories are growing at an...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Staying on the same line, looking for a short answer, how about for the utilization of television and phone services in patient rooms at Stanton Hospital? Will patients be charged for utilizing those services?

Obviously this isn’t a new problem. It was a problem in the time I’ve been here, almost seven years; just over seven years. It was a problem two years ago when the Minister came forward with a plan to address it. She says there’s a plan being worked on today. How am I supposed to believe that the Minister and the government can come forward with a plan that’s workable? The one that she brought forward two years ago, they haven’t done anything with. In fact, things have gotten much, much worse.

When is this plan the Minister speaks of going to be presented to the Standing Committee on Social...