Once again, I would like to say that in Sahtu region and every other region in the Territories, we do have very dedicated, qualified, skilful health and social services staff working hard to deliver programs and services. Mr. Speaker, I know sometimes things do go wrong. Sometimes people are not happy with the response they received with their medical treatment or medical emergency or counselling and one of the things that we are seeing that we need to improve on and that’s also part of Foundation for Change -- I’m afraid I’m going to have to mention this document a lot because it has lots of things to do with what we are working on -- one of the things we need to build more on is where do people go when they have complaints about medical health professionals that is independent, objective and not necessarily to the political force. That’s something we are working on as well. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Ms. Lee. Final, short supplementary, Mr. Yakeleya.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I look forward to a solid policy where people can go and launch a complaint in their own language. Mr. Speaker, I’m speaking about this person in Fort Good Hope that went to the health centre. She was diagnosed about two weeks later with pneumonia. Mr. Speaker, that is unacceptable. We had a death in our community that should not happen. That is unacceptable. So, again, I look forward to a time when the Minister can outline a time where she can state in this House where policies on people with long-term complaints regarding health care can be tabled in the House.
Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. I didn’t hear a question there. The honourable Member for Hay River South, Mrs. Groenewegen.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in the Finance Minister’s budget address today he talked about the expansion of the Taltson hydro dam and that’s something that has been on the radar for quite some time. It would be an economic boon to the area. It would certainly be environmentally good judgment to offset the use of diesel and the mines and perhaps other consumers as well that would be interested in tying into extra hydro power. Mr. Speaker, there are many benefits and many pluses to the expansion of the Taltson hydro dam.
The Minister indicated that the GNWT does not have the financial capacity to undertake a project of this size and refers to a price of $500 million. The Minister also indicates that the GNWT even with federal support for this project would still not have the capacity to undertake this project. He talks about inviting partners or a partner who would have the financial capability to participate with the GNWT. I would like to ask the Minister if he has anybody in mind. Thank you.
Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. The honourable Minister of Finance, Mr. Miltenberger.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I am assuming most Members are aware when we were in Copenhagen the Premier and I had the opportunity to sit down and talk to Ms. Southern from ATCO about the Taltson expansion. Mr. Krutko and Mr. Abernethy, while they weren’t at the meetings, were clearly aware that we were having those discussions. So we’ve had some discussions with Ms. Southern on this issue. Thank you.
Thank you. That’s the first time I’ve actually formally heard those meetings taking place in Copenhagen. I had heard some rumours and so on. How does any discussions that have taken place or any agreements that may be arrived at, how does that tie in with the unsolicited ATCO proposal that has also been on the table of which we are awaiting the government’s review of that proposal? How is that related to the Taltson? Thank you.
I’ll indicate two things. First, these discussions are at the very preliminary stage and there is no link between these two. We are looking at trying to make sure the Taltson project is able to go ahead and if we don’t within the next six to eight months come up with a way to make that happen, the Taltson project, for all intents and purposes, at least for the life of this Assembly and probably for at least three years or more will be put on a shelf. So there is no link. The issue is trying to make sure that we can move ahead on the Taltson. Thank you.
Mr. Speaker, I assume that the discussions with Nancy Southern from ATCO were in a positive vein. I would like to ask the Minister what would be the next steps in pursuing a partnership to enable the GNWT to develop the Taltson hydro potential. What would the next steps in that process be? Thank you.
Given the very preliminary nature of our discussions, we are having some very basic discussions. The folks from ATCO are looking at all the public information that’s on the website to come up with a full understanding of the project. We are waiting to hear back from them in terms of, we were sharing some documents in terms of some basic points, principles that we could possibly look at if we were going to proceed with the discussions. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Final supplementary, Mrs. Groenewegen.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Given the very public quasi announcement by the Minister of Finance today that the GNWT is looking for a partner on the Taltson hydro expansion, does the government have a plan if this information that’s been put out here today... If this has the effect of interesting other parties, potential other parties in this, does the government have a plan to deal with that so that this is not kind of just, you know, flying by the seat of our pants on this, that we actually aren’t just waiting to react to things, that in fact we have a plan going forward? Thank you.
We have an arrangement with partners already, which is compromised of ourselves, the Northwest Territories Metis and Akaitcho. We also recognize and they’re working on the partnership, they are working on the generation part of the project. But we also recognize, as I pointed out in my statement, that even with some federal assistance, we are not going to be able to proceed with this project unless we get outside help. We need a partner. So we’ve had some initial discussions recognizing that fact, recognizing that we have about eight months to get ourselves sorted out and we are going to focus our most immediate attention on that that is right before us before we look further afield. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. The honourable Member for Kam Lake, Mr. Ramsay.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I just want to start off by saying my reference earlier to the Deh Cho Bridge Project being a gong show is in no way meant to disparage the good work done by the Minister and his staff. I do appreciate that. It’s the project in general. I just wanted to state that for the record.
In my last question to the Minister I asked him what are the potential financial risks to the Government of the Northwest Territories via the Deh Cho Bridge Project. I would like the Minister to answer that question for me. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. The honourable Minister of Transportation, Mr. Michael McLeod.
Mr. Speaker, there are a number of unknowns in this project, as we speak. The Bridge Corporation is negotiating with a contractor about price until sometime later on this month. It will continue to be ongoing until we have an agreement in place.
Of course, there may be termination fees that more than likely will come forward from the contractor that the Bridge Corporation couldn’t make a positive agreement with that we will probably have to deal with. There are still some outstanding claims that we don’t have the numbers on. Mr. Speaker, our goal is to include all of the issues that I mentioned as part of our final price. We are trying to keep that within our budget. However, that is going to remain an unknown until we have resolved some of these issues. Thank you.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to ask the Minister: how are the Government of the Northwest Territories and its department working to mitigate the potential financial risk to the Government of the Northwest Territories in this project? Thank you.
Mr. Speaker, we have taken more of a hands-on approach through our resources and have people involved with all the different activities that are taking place, all the different discussions and those negotiations. As we develop and move forward on settling and coming to a final price on this project, we incorporated some requirements that needed to be addressed, including rolling in the cost of some of the claims and including the termination fees as we move forward. We would like to have all the different loose ends tied up and be able to come forward with some confidence to the Members and say we have a price. We have a firm plan that we are going to have to conclude this project by November 2011. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Time for question period has expired; however, I will allow the Member a supplementary question. Mr. Ramsay.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to ask the Minister what the contingency plans are should a contractor not be found or a contract not be negotiated by March 1st for the remainder of the work of the Deh Cho Bridge Project. Thank you.
Mr. Speaker, we expect to have a contractor in place. There are a number of contractors that have come forward. There are some serious negotiations. We have some preliminary numbers that we are looking at for the Bridge Corporation and ourselves are looking at. We are quite confident that we are going to resolve that and have an agreement by some time later early in this new year. Thank you.
Mr. Speaker, during these negotiations, is the GNWT at the table in a meaningful way on negotiating the second portion of this project? Thank you.
Yes, Mr. Speaker, as I indicated earlier in my response, we have inserted our staff and we are participating in all aspects of discussions on this project. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Item 10, written questions. The honourable Member for Nahendeh, Mr. Menicoche.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I seek unanimous consent to go to item 7, recognition of visitors in the gallery, on the orders. Thank you.
---Unanimous consent granted.
Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased to recognize my sister Lorraine Menicoche-Moses in the gallery. Welcome, and you have seen how your younger brother works. Mahsi cho.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to present a petition dealing with the matter of a long-term care facility for Fort McPherson. Mr. Speaker, the petition contains 114 signatures of Fort McPherson residents. Mr Speaker, the petition is to request the establishment of a permanent long-term care facility for the hamlet of Fort McPherson.
Thank you, Mr. Krutko. Item 15, reports of committees on the review of bills. Item 16, tabling of documents. The honourable Minister of Finance, Mr. Miltenberger.
Mr. Speaker, I wish to table the following document entitled Northwest Territories Main Estimates, 2010-2011. Thank you.
Orders of the day for Friday, January 29, 2010, 10:00 a.m.:
Prayer
Ministers’ Statements
Members’ Statements
Returns to Oral Questions
Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery
Acknowledgements
Oral Questions
Written Questions
Returns to Written Questions
Replies to Opening Address
Replies to Budget Address (Day 2 of 7)
Petitions
Reports of Standing and Special Committees
Reports of Committees on the Review of Bills
Tabling of Documents
Notices of Motion
Notices of Motion for First Reading of Bills
Motions
First Reading of Bills
Second Reading of Bills
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Bill 2, Forgiveness of Debts Act, 2009-2010
Bill 4, An Act to Amend the Child and Family Services Act
Bill 7, An Act to Amend the Summary Conviction Procedures Act
Tabled Document 62-16(4), Northwest Territories Main Estimates, 2010-2011
Report of Committee of the Whole
Third Reading of Bills
Orders of the Day
Thank you, Mr. Clerk. Accordingly, this House stands adjourned until Friday, January 29th at 10:00 a.m.
---ADJOURNMENT
46 p.m.
