Norman Yakeleya

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the concession agreement is the lead agreement under the Deh Cho Bridge Corporation’s arrangements for the development, design and construction operations and maintenance and management of the bridge.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we’re working, the staff is working to its greatest potential in terms of opening the Mackenzie ferry at Fort Providence. We’re hoping that it will be done as soon as possible, Mr. Speaker. I’m reluctant to give a specific time because I will be held to it. We have to have the weather on our side in terms of the water, the level of the water, and if that can be resolved, then certainly the Member will be notified through my office as soon as the ferry is open. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The situation here has been determined by the low water we have in the Mackenzie River and that’s why the ferry isn’t operating now; it hit the bottom of the Mackenzie. We’re assessing it and will see how soon we can have the ferry up and running in terms of ensuring that traffic is flowing on a more consistent basis.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, there is no list. If there is a list, there are many lists of many projects that are looked at. We are going to consider that in Cabinet. Once we have decided that in Cabinet, we will come to the committee and look at the list, if there is a list. Right now, there is no list.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I am working very closely with Minister McLeod. He is the lead Minister on infrastructure funding under the Canada build fund. I will bring that up with the Minister in terms of the issue of the Yellowknife bypass road, in terms of many other infrastructures that we wanted, balancing investment down the Mackenzie Valley in terms of these specific priorities. I will bring the issue of the amount of energy and resources that we have spent on this department on the Deh Cho Bridge by my department in terms of this issue here. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the loan guarantee is $9 million.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the concession agreement still needs to be finalized. Mr. Speaker, this department is still confident that this bridge is a good project and that this deal will be good for the Northwest Territories. I will still hold to our process with the Deh Cho Bridge Corporation in terms of finalizing the concession agreement before it can get released to the public. Again, I say, there are many factors involved in putting a complex project like this together and I will do so when I have the confidence of the Deh Cho Bridge Corporation to release the concession...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the concession agreement has been signed on the 28th of September, as Members know. The concession agreement, there are still 12 schedules and appendices that still need to be finalized. We have to have that discussion with the Deh Cho Bridge Corporation; we have to have that discussion with Members here. Mr. Speaker, once that is done and we feel confident with the Deh Cho Bridge Corporation releasing public documents, we will do that.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to recognize the president of the Yellowknife Association of Concerned Citizens for Seniors, Dan Costache. I would also like to recognize Greg Debogorski, executive director of the Yellowknife Association of Concerned Citizens for Seniors. Mr. Speaker, I would also like to recognize a long-time resident of Yellowknife but originally from Tulita, Paul Andrew is in the visitor’s gallery. Paul has been a recipient of the 2008 National Aboriginal Achievement Awards for media and communication.

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Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the concession agreement is still not finalized, so we are unable to have any type of discussion in terms of public relations. Mr. Speaker, there are many factors involved in this complex agreement with the many parties involved. Until we have the discussions, the Deh Cho Bridge Corporation and our government here, in terms of how we’re going to release that document, I am going to say that it’s confidential right now and there are other factors that need to be considered before I have any further discussion with any type of advancement of the concession...