Joe Handley

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. First of all, let me say that we are not the only jurisdiction in which the Health Minister also has other portfolios. When I look at Prince Edward Island, it is Social Services and Seniors, but they are separate departments. I look at the Yukon; the Minister is also responsible for WCB. I don’t know all of the jurisdictions, but, Mr. Speaker, whenever I assign portfolios, then I have to look at the interests of the Ministers and also whether or not I feel that they can carry the workload. All of the Ministers in our government carry at least two portfolios...

Mr. Speaker, we still anticipate that we will be successful in getting additional money to make this bridge possible. If the bridge goes ahead, if we get the money and the bridge goes ahead, then that money that we have loaned or guaranteed to the Bridge Corporation is rolled into the cost of the bridge. So there is no cost to the government at all. If we were to assume that the bridge is not going to go ahead and pay the $3.5 million, then in that scenario it costs us, as public government, $3.5 million. It’s our view that we are better to wait and not fold up the Bridge Corporation now...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Let me say, as well, to add is that we do have other Ministers as well who take on responsibilities to health in the health field, as an example, as well as in other areas. If I look at the responsibilities that are health related out of the Department of Human Resources that Minister Roland, as well as being Minister of Finance, the Minister of Public Works and Services handles. I find that there are nine different areas where Human Resources has taken on some responsibility on recruitment, training programs, bursary programs and so on. But, Mr. Speaker, I will...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, about this time last year we sought input from the Members on our options to improve planning and coordination at headquarters and in the regions.

An important component of this initiative was the creation of a regional director position while maintaining a ministerial order of government. These offices are critical to ensuring:

government programs and services are consistently implemented within regions;

effective coordination of interdepartmental initiatives within regions;

improved communication on government strategic initiatives within regions; and...

Mr. Speaker, no further work is being done on the Deh Cho Bridge. The work has stopped. It’s on hold. Mr. Speaker, when I say there is nothing being done, we, though, still have the interest and bank fee costs of the outstanding loan that is made, loan guarantee. Mr. Speaker, that is the only cost we are bearing now. We have chosen to keep this on hold in light of Minister Cannon’s statement that he would be laying out a national infrastructure program and that we would be included in that. We have yet to find out what would be available to us. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, I don’t know. It is always of opinion on whether it is equal. I am sure some Ministers someday feel very overworked and others may feel that, well, we haven’t had a lot of issues in my department or whatever recently. Mr. Speaker, it is as equitable as I can make it right now, in my view. Mr. Speaker, if I take the Minister of ECE’s responsibilities, well, it is ECE, which is a big department and a very important department in our government, as is Health and Social Services, but he also holds the position of Government House Leader. He is also Minister for the Workers’...

Mr. Speaker, again, I will say there is no activity at all, no additional cost to the Bridge Corporation. The only additional cost that we have accruing now are bank interest and other fees. There is no more activity with the Deh Cho Bridge Corporation and there won’t be until we have the revenues to be able to proceed with this project. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, that is really a question that should be directed to the Minister for the Power Corporation, so, if I can, I would refer it to him.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to recognize the regional directors who are in the gallery today. Bob Sanderson from the South Slave region…

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Dan O’Neill, North Slave…

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Andy Short, Sahtu…

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Andrew Johnston from the Deh Cho…

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and Helen Sullivan, who is acting director and has done a great job over the last couple of years of piloting the return of the regional directors.

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Mr. Speaker, with your indulgence, I’d like to also recognize two Pages who are with the cadets who are from Weledeh: Kelsey Martin and Jeremy Frankie, and I believe their moms...

Mr. Speaker, all of the cost, the additional costs we have now for the time that this loan is extended to, are bank related. It’s interest, bank fees, bank charges. That’s all there is. There is nothing more going on. The loan is roughly $3.5 million. The work that has been done is not wasted. It doesn’t go in a wastebasket. It’s there and it’s work that’s been done and it’s ready to go. If we were to just fold up everything and say we don’t need to look at that project anymore, the heck with it, it would cost us roughly $3.5 million to pay off the loan and clean this up. Mr. Speaker, it’s...