Wendy Bisaro

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my questions are addressed to the Minister responsible for the Power Corp. I spoke in my Member’s statement about the fact that we continually hear that the Taltson Expansion Project, Deze Energy Corporation, is a business, and that the enterprise and the expansion is itself a business, but the GNWT, as I mentioned, has put quite a few millions into this particular project. I’d like to ask the Premier whether or not the GNWT will be paid back for the millions that we have invested in this project. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thanks to the Minister as well. I guess I would encourage the Minister to consider there may be cases where sending a patient south might actually speed things up and, if that is the case, I would encourage the Minister to consider doing that. I understand it’s probably unlikely, but we have to keep all doors open, in my mind.

The Minister mentioned something about wait times are about changing the system. If we have wait times as long as a year for one particular speciality, I’m sure there are others that happen to be longer. I would like to ask the Minister what we as...

Thanks to the Minister. I would appreciate knowing whether or not we do have certain standards which are out there which we should attempt to adhere to. I do remember a conversation from a couple of years ago on the federal scene that we were trying to reduce wait times for patients. I’d be interested in seeing standards, if there are any.

The concern for my constituent, in October of 2008 he was advised that it was a one-year wait to see an orthopaedic specialist. I wonder if the Minister could tell me what kind of a wait it is at this particular time now that we’re in March of 2010.

Mr. Speaker, thanks to the Minister. I understand that things are being negotiated and so on, but I guess I am concerned, as I mentioned in my statement, that we are entering into this project. We are, at this point, backstopping the project without any sort of financial safeguards. I think the Premier mentioned yesterday, in response to a question from Mr. Abernethy, that some part of this project is coming up to this government for approval in the near future. Could I get an explanation of what he meant by that? Thank you.

Thanks to the Minister for that explanation. It doesn’t really help me much. It’s going to be an awfully long time before we get any money back, but I guess I have to assume that eventually we will get back our $13 million.

I mentioned in my statement that one of the bullets on a presentation that we received some time last year was that there needs to be the GNWT to backstop this project for construction. I’d like to ask the Minister to explain what that means. Are we providing a financial guarantee to the Taltson Expansion Project? Thank you.

I still didn’t hear a number for O and M costs, but I’ll just choose to carry on.

I have another question and it was mentioned, I believe, by the Minister earlier in reference to the fact that this is, was, a P3 project. Quite some time ago I believe Members saw a draft of a P3 policy and I was just wondering whether or not that policy is anywhere on our radar going into the future. For any projects of a similar nature, are we going to have a P3 policy which has been approved by this House? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. As stated by Mr. Bromley, at the risk of repeating things I feel that I must make my comments known in terms of this particular supp and how I feel about the bridge.

I stated last month in a statement that I was very disappointed that the supp we had to approve last month was simply confirmation of my doubts about the viability of the whole bridge project. I’ve had concerns since I was first elected to this Assembly. Those concerns, unfortunately, were validated. That was very disappointing, very depressing, I think I stated at the time.

Like Mr. Abernethy, I am...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I think NWT residents are, by and large, a patient lot. It’s not unusual for me to be contacted by a constituent, and with their first breath be advised that they’re not in the habit of contacting an MLA but that they are doing so because they have been pushed far beyond their normal level of patience and understanding. So when this situation occurs, when an individual does contact us and tells us it’s not their normal behaviour, I believe they deserve a reply, and quickly.

But such was not the case for one of my constituents, a constituent who e-mailed a...

Thanks to the Premier for that response. I appreciate his commitment and his pledge not to go to places we’re already in.

My last question has to do with the Deh Cho Bridge Corporation. I know we are undergoing negotiations with them and trying to determine what form that particular corporation is going to take, keep or become. But I wondered two things: do we have a responsibility to the Deh Cho Bridge Corporation shareholders? Does this government feel that we have a responsibility to their shareholders? The other question I had is if the corporation is dissolved, whether or not this...

Thanks, Mr. Chair, and thanks to both Ministers for that and I appreciate the estimate of the O and M costs. If it so happens that sometime down the road that the expenses for the bridge are more than the revenues that we take in, how will that debt be handled by this government? Who is going to cover the excess expenditures in any particular fiscal year? Thank you.