Kevin A. Menicoche

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I chose to raise this issue because it is, like I said, becoming two incidents within the last three months. It is quite disturbing to the family. Now they had to recover costs and worry about that, but initially I still do not understand. The family still does not understand why the spouse who was injured or very sick was not assigned or designated an eligible spouse. That is the issue I would like to raise with the Minister. I would like her to check into it. Maybe there is an internal memorandum that has to go around and say, look, are we applying the policy...

With regard to the non-medical escorts, who makes the actual call to have the non-medical escorts accompany… In the two cases that I spoke about in my Member’s statement, there were spouses there, Mr. Speaker. So who would actually authorize or designate these non-medical escorts to travel along with the spouse in the medevac plane and/or immediately soon thereafter? Thank you.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I seek unanimous consent to return to item 7 on the Order Paper.

---Unanimous consent granted,

Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman. I looked at the fiscal updates along with all the other Members and I’m not really convinced that spreading it out for an additional five years will be of any benefit at all. I think our fiscal forecast showed that even without the Deh Cho Bridge debt on our books we still had to have some strong fiscal measures for the following year. I think that’s an important aspect. It doesn’t do us any good to have special over-expenditures for a longer period of time, I don’t believe anyway. So because I’m not convinced. I won’t be supporting this motion. I’ll abstain...

Mr. Speaker... [English translation not provided.]

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This week Members have been called back to consider legislation to establish the necessary authority that will provide for the GNWT to administer the completion of the Deh Cho Bridge. I spoke in the House in February to point out that Nahendeh people don’t want to see any more over-expenditures on this project. As taxpayers, they do not want to be left to pay for the cost overruns. I trust that, as Minister Michael McLeod advised in response to my questions in February, over-expenditures will eventually be offset by the...

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I was certainly in the Cabinet on the day that started the whole process of the Deh Cho Bridge. I have no problem to say that I continue to support the bridge. It was a megaproject. It was good for the North and even after we were elected, up to a year ago or 18 months ago it was a timely project. The economy was going downhill and providing work and opportunities to the North certainly was a good thing. However, I still continue to support the bridge. I ran out of friends in supporting the bridge, Mr. Chairman, only because of the debacle that has happened in the last...

Will the contractor do the same type of material replacement or is there an alternate solution to have a floor that adheres to the cement? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I seek unanimous consent to return to item 8 on the Order Paper.

---Unanimous consent granted.

Perhaps if the Minister could explain where that net increase is, because I only see a reduction in the figures there.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to ask the Minister of MACA a question on O and M funding for communities. I met with Mayor Sean Whelly of Fort Simpson and Deputy Mayor Tom Wilson earlier this week. They have advised me that O and M funding for the 2010 fiscal year has been reduced. They showed me a chart that they are actually one of two communities that will be reduced. I’d like to ask the Minister why there is a reduction. What is the rationale for the reductions of O and M for the community of Fort Simpson?