Michael McLeod

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Member paints a picture that would make anybody nervous, especially flying through the air at 500 miles an hour in a culvert with a cone on it. I’m not totally sure if there is any formal testing in the area of drugs. We are aware that the federal government, who has the responsibility in this area, does have rules related to alcohol and that there is medical testing that has to be done on a regular basis, but I think that’s only every so many years. I could point out, though, that most aircraft companies have built into their safety management systems drug testing...

Mr. Speaker, given the level of discussion in the House over the last while for the life of this project, I am not sure if the Member would be satisfied with us doing an audit on ourselves. That may be something that we need to talk further. The Auditor General has been involved and has looked at components of this project. I am assuming that the Member is talking about a full-blown audit of this project. I think that would have to come at the direction of this House or at least by the Finance Minister. It is not something I can commit to. But if the Member is satisfied, we certainly can, at...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. A project of this nature requires very strict scrutiny by all people involved. There is also the Canadian Bridge Code that has to be followed. We had people from the Deh Cho Bridge Corporation that provided oversight and inspections. We had also independent engineers that provided oversight. We had our own people that were on the ground and providing checks and balances. We also, for the first year, had a team of people that worked together to review all issues and all documentation that were coming forward. We had a fairly strict oversight and inspection process on...

Mr. Speaker, the project is being developed and moved forward under my watch. I assumed the responsibility for this file a year and a half ago. I take full responsibility for anything’s that’s transpired during that period. We are calling the shots. We’ve moved into a project management position. We have new people and a new team put in place. Also, we have negotiated a new contract along with a redesign. So, Mr. Speaker, we have turned that corner and we are anticipating some good results as we move forward. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the Member has been pretty clear on his feelings on this project and he’s even taken a page out of what’s happened in the New Brunswick government not too long ago about the pants on the ground statement. I’m glad he didn’t try to sing it.

Mr. Speaker, it’s pretty obvious why we are negotiating with one company. We have very limited time to make this project work and if we had gone to a competitive process, of course, we would be adding to the construction period. We’d have to prepare the tender documents and all the related material that’s required to go to...

The discussions are concluded, the signing off has not been done, and I’m quite reluctant to throw the names and company titles out into the public until we have that kind of discussion in house. We have looked at this project from every angle. We have had people that are outside of our government, outside of the bridge project itself look at our numbers. We are confident that we’ve captured all the different costs or pieces that are out there in terms of what it’s going to take to conclude this project. We’ve looked at the claims, we’ve looked at the interest, we’ve looked at everything that...

I’m not able to provide that publicly at this juncture. There is a company that we have decided to use. I’m not sure if all the agreements have been signed. I’d like to confirm that prior to providing that information. I can provide that to him today in confidence, if he’d like. Along with this company we will be utilizing at least one person from our own sources that has already been working for us for some time and is quite familiar with the project. I can provide the information, I’m just reluctant to give out information that hasn’t been finalized and put out in the public yet.

I’m not sure if the Member expects me to change my answer, but I just responded to that very same question a few minutes ago. It’s a result of timing. When we had information on the change of design concluded far enough, we did have engagement with our previous contractor. Those didn’t result. We recognized that we were not going to be able to conclude those discussions and, therefore, terminated our relationship and entered into discussions with a company that was familiar with the project and that was willing to move forward with this whole project and provide budgets and figures that we...

Transport Canada does have rules related to alcohol consumption and aircraft operations that pilots must comply with. Whether or not we can also apply rules from the level of the territorial government or Department of Transportation NWT would be something I’d have to explore and see if there’s any mechanism that we could put in place that would give comfort to the Members of this House and to the general public that there is some screening or involvement that the pilots are not... I take it it’s more than just pilots in this case, but I would have to look at it. I’d have to talk to somebody...

Mr. Speaker, as a result of a number of discussions for the Deh Cho Bridge Corporation, we felt that we needed to bring in a new team to provide project management on this job. We have since agreed and notified the people that were on the project management team that we will be bringing in a new company and new players to fill those roles. That has been accepted. We are now in the process of having discussions, how to do the transition and continue to make sure that we have a smooth transition as we move forward. Thank you.