Jane Groenewegen

Mr. Chairman, I move that we report progress.

---Carried

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. the committee would like to continue today with the departments of Municipal and Community Affairs and then Environment and Natural Resources, in that order and see what kind of progress we can make today. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions are for the Minister of Transportation today and it is not about the bridge.

I’m not fond of flying. Something about flying through the air, being hurtled through the air at 500 miles an hour in a culvert with a cone on the front doesn’t really make sense to me. But I had occasion to hear a radio interview not so many months ago and something caught my attention that kind of caused me some concern. I’ve been mulling it over. I think the young man that was being interviewed said that he had a problem with a crack-cocaine addiction and that he had been working...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I will respect whatever that ruling is. I don’t suppose I can retract the number now. It’s already out there, but, Mr. Speaker, it has been very, very frustrating as a Member of this Assembly to try to get information about this project.

I just provided a quote from Hansard. When we got elected as the 16th Assembly, I came in here and I asked specific question after specific question of the Premier about if any contracts, any agreements, any concession agreements, anything had been signed by this government and I was repeatedly told that nothing had been signed. Then I...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today I would like to use my reply to the opening address to talk about the Deh Cho Bridge. The reason why it is important to talk about this today is that the people of the Northwest Territories have a right and need to know and understand what is happening with the Deh Cho Bridge Project because of its potential far-reaching impacts on the financial well-being of our Territory.

Looking at the history of this project, the enabling legislation called the Deh Cho Bridge Corporation Act was passed in the 14th Assembly. At that time the legislation contemplated a $50...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Information was shared with committee and I did speak to the House yesterday and indicated to them that I felt that the information that had been shared really belongs to the public, because we expect feedback from our constituents on how we proceed and how we go forward with this. I think that I am just trying to explain that one of the options that people out there may think is available to us is not available to us and I did not use a specific amount. I talked about a ballpark amount and I, Mr. Speaker, believe that in representing the interest of the public to know...

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The committee would like to continue on with the detailed consideration of the Department of Education, Culture and Employment and perhaps, since we’re getting an earlier start today, maybe even make it into the opening comments and general comments on the NWT Housing Corporation.

Mr. Speaker, I don’t believe that those discussions will be concluded before the time tomorrow, at some time tomorrow when the Minister has already committed to issue a press release. Even if the Minister can’t provide the specific details, I think there are some substantive pieces of information that could be made known to the public. I would like to ask the Minister again, would he release that, in as much detail as he is able to release it, before the House sits tomorrow morning at 10 o’clock? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my questions today are for the Minister of Transportation. Mr. Speaker, there already is rumour and speculation out in the public about the status of the Deh Cho Bridge Project. Tuesday night MLAs received an update on the project. This is Thursday. The update that we received was substantial news, shall we say. This is Thursday and I believe the public needs to be aware of what is happening with this project, because, as I said in my Member’s statement, it could have very far-reaching effects for the operations of this government.

Mr. Speaker, this is a...

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I’d like to ask the Minister how many of the divisional education councils are currently in a deficit position.