Thank you, Mr. Speaker. People in the Northwest Territories have been dreaming about building a bridge over the Mackenzie River for the last 50 years. A bridge will provide year-round, reliable access to the North Slave and eventually down the Mackenzie Valley. Toll fees will provide revenues.
Every week, all year round, Buffalo Airways flies loads of freight, fresh food and mail up to the communities in the Sahtu from the Yellowknife Airport. All of that will cross the new bridge, so I know the new bridge will be good for the Sahtu.
In a year and a half we have fulfilled the dream of having a bridge. However, this is a bridge over troubled waters. The bridge has been delayed due to the need for a redesign of a portion of the bridge’s superstructure. The original construction contractor pulled out. The project management team was removed. Delays cost money and to cover the costs we are forced to pass a supplementary appropriation bill of $15 million. Given the delay, the lenders called the loan provided to the Deh Cho Bridge Corporation. The list goes on.
What have we learned from this experience? Have we learned that there must be caution when undertaking a public/private partnership? It seems that when things go sideways, always the GNWT alone is left accountable. Have we learned that it may not be wise to go forward with an innovative superstructure when a more economical, tested and true design exists? The project management team and engineering firm should be selected by a competitive process rather than sole sourced.
We must improve policies and practices to ensure that we do better in the future. In order to learn from this experience, I will be supporting a motion to have the Auditor General of Canada review the Deh Cho Bridge Project. What we learn should be reflected in the revision to the government’s financial and procurement policies or a new P3 policy.
All said and done, the Deh Cho Bridge is going to be a great achievement. It will be a bridge over troubled waters right now, but we will sort this out. This generation and future generations will benefit from this bridge. It will open up the Mackenzie Valley to reduce the cost of living and to allow for responsible development.
We need to get going. Let’s get on with it and let’s build this bridge.
Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. The honourable Member for Great Slave, Mr. Abernethy.
