Kevin A. Menicoche

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I’d just like to say that the Premier and I are very supportive of the initiative that you continue to raise in this House. It is a good initiative of the honourable Member and something that we always support are ground base initiatives. That project specifically will be addressed in the fullness of time, Mr. Speaker. Thank you.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Just for clarification, the negotiation is happening with the Deh Cho Bridge Corporation and, as government, we’re supportive of the initiatives of the Deh Cho Bridge Corporation, but we’re outside the process. We’re not really privy to their discussions. While in fact just last week the Premier had sent a letter to the Prime Minister himself saying, look, in terms of the federal government helping us with this project, it’s a good project for Canada, it’s a good project for northerners, and that’s the stage it is at, Mr. Speaker. We have had many, many...

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Once again I’ll commit to continue to share that with committee. In fact, we’re trying to find a time slot sometime early next week. Some of the details the Member is referring to, of course, are in the concession agreement and being negotiated and is confidential at this point. However, once we’re in committee, we’ll be able to share as much as possible that we can with the Regular Members there, Mr. Speaker. Thank you very much.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The responsibility for providing necessary fuel does not lie with the department. However, we do facilitate discussions with suppliers and users of the fuel. In this case, once again, it is the early shut down of the ice bridge that led to this. Hopefully, some of the few things that we are doing which, of course, long term is the Deh Cho Bridge. It will help alleviate these kinds of problems. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I should have added that there is good news for the Fort Providence ferry. It will be running this coming Monday. It is good for the travelling public.

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As well, the suppliers are aware of this. They do have stock waiting at Providence right now to cross on that first ferry to provide for aircraft fuel for the city of Yellowknife. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The tolls are laid out in the Deh Cho Bridge Act. It is $6 right now plus inflationary factors as the years go on. As well, I can commit to having a briefing with the committee any time soon. But as for divulging the information to the public right now, Mr. Speaker, where sensitive negotiations are ongoing, that is something that is just not doable at this time. I can reassure that the real winners of this project are the North and northerners, Mr. Speaker. Thank you.

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Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. That level of detail is in the concession agreement as to risk factors, what happens if the federal government bans trucks altogether where do we even collect any money at all. Some of those details are in the concession agreement. That level of detail, I cannot state in this House at this moment, Mr. Speaker. Thank you.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Some of the discussions that are ongoing with the Deh Cho Bridge Corporation are exactly that, are doing the financing modelling and certainly the toll is between $4 and $6 per ton. Just as an example, Mr. Speaker, $6 per ton, that’s like $250 per truckload and that’s the figure that’s currently being used in our financial modelling right now, Mr. Speaker. Mahsi.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As per the Deh Cho Bridge Act, we’ve committed to $6 per ton for the trucks per load plus inflationary costs over the years that come. As well, Mr. Speaker, we have committed a lot of the costs that it actually costs us to operate our ferries and ice bridges right now. Thank you.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. That particular project, source 177, is amongst the many priorities that are laying before us as Cabinet to decide on. Once again, we’ll work with committee in establishing the priorities as laid out by the guidelines of how we’re going to spend the money for the federal programming that has been announced. Mahsi.