Julie Green

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker, and thank you to the Minister for that response. As I mentioned in my statement, in terms of economic returns, it looks like the Slave Geological Province road may be more lucrative because of the advanced exploration that has gone on in that area and because it may be a lifeline for the diamond mines, who are trying to maximize production and minimize costs.

Has the Minister examined the relative economic benefits of the road to Whati to those of the Slave Geological Province, and can he share those results? Mahsi.

I am wondering if the Government of the Northwest Territories assisted the Tlicho in taking that participation in the consortium that is going to build the road.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. I didn't hear an answer in that, but I am going to push on. The Minister has said that this P3 project will save over 15 percent compared to a traditional model. Can the Minister provide an explanation or why this would be the case? Thank you.

I appreciate the Minister's response, but I didn't hear an answer. In two years, the two figures have differed by 20 percent. Can he tell us why that is?

Mr. Speaker, it could have met the needs of seniors who want to remain in their communities while they age. I don't think we have done enough to debate the opportunity cost of this and other infrastructure projects in this House. I recognize that it is too late for this debate to take place about the road to Whati, but it is not too late for other large infrastructure projects that the government is shopping around. It is time for the people to have their turn. I will have questions for the Minister of Finance. Mahsi.

I would like the Minister of Finance to tell us whether this project can be instructed over a longer period of time so that the construction jobs last longer.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. I have a few more questions for my friend, the Minister of Finance.

I would like to ask the Minister: of the $411 million of spending on the road to Whati, how much of that will go to Tlicho businesses and individuals over the 28-year period? Mahsi.

I appreciate that commitment from the Minister. I don't recall any discussion of the potential costs of operations and maintenance prior to the announcement earlier this month. I note that the Minister of Infrastructure didn't repeat the all-in cost of $411 million in his statement last week. My question is: what efforts did the government make to inform the public of the actual all-in costs of this road, given that it was more than double any estimate that had been voiced publicly?

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. My questions are for the Minister of Finance. Two years ago, his colleague, the Minister of Infrastructure, told the Member for Yellowknife North that the all-in cost of the road to Whati was estimated at $175 million. The cost of building the road announced this month is 20 percent higher than that figure. Why are construction costs so much higher now than two years ago? Mahsi.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. The government is ready to place a checkmark against another commitment fulfilled in the mandate of the 18th Assembly. The money is in place to build the road to Whati, and construction is expected to begin this fall, but let's take a moment to reflect on the cost of this project.

Mr. Speaker, two-and-a-half years ago I spoke in this House about the economic evaluation of the all-season road. The information came from a study by Nichols Applied Management of Edmonton, and it was completed in March 2015. To summarize the benefits, there will be a glut of construction jobs...