David Ramsay

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to speak today about the Deh Cho Bridge Project. I listened very clearly to the Minister of Transportation’s statement yesterday in the House, and understandably he has, and continues to, put his positive spin and messaging around this project as he can; this on a project that has and continues to be mired with issues.

The Minister left out some key items from his statement yesterday that I believe the public is owed an explanation to. The project was sold to the public, to Members of this House and to the previous Cabinet, as a fixed price contract with a...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to ask the Minister what the contingency plans are should a contractor not be found or a contract not be negotiated by March 1st for the remainder of the work of the Deh Cho Bridge Project. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I just want to start off by saying my reference earlier to the Deh Cho Bridge Project being a gong show is in no way meant to disparage the good work done by the Minister and his staff. I do appreciate that. It’s the project in general. I just wanted to state that for the record.

In my last question to the Minister I asked him what are the potential financial risks to the Government of the Northwest Territories via the Deh Cho Bridge Project. I would like the Minister to answer that question for me. Thank you.

I’d like to ask the Minister, and I think the question that everybody out there has is what will this bridge ultimately cost to have constructed, Mr. Speaker? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I have some questions today for the Minister of Transportation and it gets back to my Member’s statement on the Deh Cho Bridge. I just want to start out by saying that I respect and I appreciate the work that both the Minister and his departmental staff are putting in on this project, but I’ve got to ask some fundamental questions here today, Mr. Speaker.

Much has been made about the departure of Atcon from the Deh Cho Bridge Project. The project was sold, like I said in my Member’s statement, to the public, to Members of this House and to the former Cabinet...

I agree with the Minister. Yes, we do need to see this project through to conclusion. We will do that, Mr. Speaker. However, the public and Members of this House need to have every assurance that this project is being managed appropriately. Mr. Speaker, judging by the actions thus far, it doesn’t appear that way, Mr. Speaker. Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, during these negotiations, is the GNWT at the table in a meaningful way on negotiating the second portion of this project? Thank you.

Thank you. I’m wondering if the Minister has any indication on when the federal Cabinet may be making a decision on the fiscal arrangements with the Mackenzie Gas Project and between now and then what effort is our government going to do to get to Ottawa to reinforce the fact that we cannot go on without this project. I mean, it’s the future of our Territory economically and socially, opportunities for our people. There’s so much here at stake, Mr. Speaker, and what are we going to do between now and then to get that message out there? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have questions today for the Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment. It gets back to my Member’s statement where I was talking about the Mackenzie Gas Project.

I have been a Member now for over six years. I know the government has put a tremendous amount of resources into this project from a staff perspective and also monetarily. I think the government is on the right track. The Minister is on the right track. I know he is doing some good things. I agree with him. I don’t think we can allow anyone to underestimate the importance that this project has to our...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’m going to speak today about the Mackenzie Gas Project.

Last month I had the opportunity to accompany Minister Bob McLeod to Calgary, where we met with proponents of the project and industry representatives. Everyone we met with was still very positive about the future of this project, and I believe now that the Joint Review Panel report has been released the time has arrived for our government to ramp up its efforts to demonstrate the tremendous benefits of this project to this Territory and to everyone in this country.

Minister Bob McLeod has done a great job at...