David Ramsay

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I want the Premier and the government to know I'm ready and willing to work with them to see that this bridge gets constructed. I just want to know what's happening and, Mr. Speaker, we haven't been given the level of detail that would let me lend my support to us entering into a $130 million deal with the Deh Cho Bridge Corporation. At the end of the day it is public money. It requires the scrutiny of this Legislature before the government can enter into getting this project off the ground. I would like to ask the Premier if he could commit to coming...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the fact of the matter is the decision to proceed and whether in fact the Deh Cho Bridge Corporation enters into agreements with contractors, that is going to tie the hands of what's left of this government and the governments for the next 35 years into paying for it, not to mention the tolls that are going to have to be paid on goods that are trucked across that bridge. I think we really have to take a look at this and make a business case for it. Again, we've had one briefing in the past three years that would suggest if you're anywhere close to making...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to speak today about the Deh Cho Bridge project. I want to state for the record, Mr. Speaker, that I do support the Deh Cho Bridge being built. Most Yellowknifers and residents of the North Slave would certainly welcome the construction of a bridge across the Mackenzie River. I do, however, have some concerns regarding the project and I feel that before agreements for a project like this are entered into, they should be subject to public information sessions and consultations with stakeholders. Every opportunity should be taken to ensure that as many...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I know some of my colleagues are saying build a bridge. Well, build a bridge; we haven't seen a business case, we haven't seen the numbers, and I'd like to know how we can build a $130 million bridge with our eyes closed, Mr. Speaker, and to me that's what we're doing, we're building it with our eyes closed. We haven't seen a business plan; we haven't seen the numbers; the feds aren't coming up with any money, but yet we're going to move ahead and enter into agreements. Mr. Speaker, something about that just doesn't sit right with me. Sure, I want a...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my questions today are for the Premier, the Minister responsible for the Deh Cho Bridge Act and corporation, and the proposed construction of the Mackenzie River bridge. Mr. Speaker, as I mentioned in my Member's statement earlier, most residents here in the North Slave region in the city of Yellowknife would welcome a bridge. But from where I stand, I don't believe the project has received any level of scrutiny by Members of this House, by the public; and by the sounds of the Premier's sessional statement, we're marching headlong into agreements without...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I think that the more information that gets out there into the public domain would be a step in the right direction for the Minister and the department to undertake that work, and I’d say move forward on that. I’d like to ask the Minister what would plan B be if the two school boards absolutely cannot work together and cannot find a solution amongst themselves? What is plan B, or is there is a plan B to this situation? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I want to ask questions today to the Minister of ECE. It gets back to the facilities usage here in Yellowknife and the school issue. I think some people may be thinking this is a relatively new issue. This isn’t a new issue. It’s been at the top of our agenda since at least three years ago when we were elected and recent events with the fire at Ecole St. Joseph last summer. It’s surfaced again now because there is a desperate need to accommodate students from St. Joseph School. I’d like to ask the Minister of ECE what, maybe he can give us a little bit of...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I was wondering if the Minister can give the government’s assessment of what might be able to happen to try to get both school boards together to come up with a workable solution to the situation. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today I would like to comment on the Yellowknife schools issue, this ongoing saga that has become a very large topic of discussion here in Yellowknife. I have listened to many parents who have phoned or e-mailed me with their concerns. Parents and students are being put in a very difficult position because their children are all part of a very serious discussion regarding space utilization in Yellowknife schools.

Mr. Speaker, some are quick to point the finger at our Education Minister for his known aversion to making decisions. However, the circumstances surrounding...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Back in February, I had asked a number of questions to the Minister of ECE in regards to day care spaces and inequities that exist amongst day care providers. Mr. Speaker, as I pointed out in my Member’s statement, the government spends roughly $32 million a year on corrections and just under $5 million on early childhood development. This is a ratio or something that just shouldn’t be allowed to happen. I would say that if we tried to get those numbers a little bit closer in the next 20 years, we wouldn’t be spending as much in the area of corrections, Mr. Speaker...