Thank you, Mr. Speaker. First off I’d like to thank all the Members that have stood up and indicated they will support the motion that we have before us today.
Just to a few of the comments I heard, yes, the Auditor General was too busy to look into the process that allowed the Deh Cho Bridge Corporation and the relationship between the Government of the Northwest Territories and the Deh Cho Bridge Corporation. That was a few years back. We all know much has changed in that time. For example, the contractor of record, ATCON Construction, of which we had a $165 million negotiated contract, is gone. The Deh Cho Bridge Corporation, for all intents and purposes, is finished. The $165 million is on the back of the residents of the Northwest Territories. That is a lot that has changed.
Again, I think, for me, responsibility and accountability and transparency are words I do not take lightly and I do not use lightly. I’ve been after answers and trying to hold people to account for making decisions they have made. I hope through an effort like this with the Auditor General of Canada we can hopefully put some closure to this, get some recommendations from the Auditor General of Canada that will point us in the right direction on what went wrong so that we can learn lessons as we move forward.
I’m very disappointed that the Premier and his Cabinet are going to abstain from this vote. This motion is not calling on this government to do anything. I feel badly that my colleagues across the way cannot stand up here today with their colleagues across the floor and support a motion like this knowing full well that mistakes were made, that there were major issues with our relationship with the Deh Cho Bridge Corporation, the process that allowed it to happen, and the fact that we were here for I think it was over five hours yesterday debating a supplementary appropriation for $165 million. Again, I think you’re making a mistake by not standing up here. I really do believe that. I think you should stand up. I think you guys should have the courage to stand up and vote with us on this motion. That’s how strongly I feel about this motion.
The other thing I heard from some of my Cabinet colleagues across the way was the word “cooperate” was causing them some consternation. I believe they’re reading too much into the motion. The word “cooperate” is a nice word. I think all of our officials, whether they were working for contractors or the Department of Transportation, there’s nothing, there’s no negative connotation to the word “cooperate” in this motion. It’s not implying anything. I think these guys are again reading too much into this motion. I would encourage them to vote in favour of it. It’s the right thing to do. It’s the responsible thing to do.
I thank those that are going to have the courage today to hopefully direct the Auditor General of Canada to have a good look into the Deh Cho Bridge Project and the troubles that it’s caused this government and the people in the Northwest Territories. We don’t even know the future ramifications of those problems yet.
I’d also like to request a recorded vote.
Mr. Ramsay, Mrs. Groenewegen, Mr. Hawkins, Ms. Bisaro, Mr. Yakeleya, Mr. Krutko, Mr. Bromley, Mr. Abernethy, Mr. Menicoche.
All those opposed to the motion, please stand. All those abstaining from the motion, please stand.
Mr. Lafferty; Ms. Lee; Mr. Roland; Mr. McLeod, Deh Cho; Mr. McLeod, Inuvik Twin Lakes; Mr. McLeod, Yellowknife South.
The results of the recorded vote: nine for, none against, six abstaining.
---Carried
Item 18, first reading of bills. The honourable Premier, Mr. Roland.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I seek unanimous consent to proceed with first reading of Bill 6, Supplementary Appropriation Act (Infrastructure Expenditures), No. 2, 2010-2011.
