Debates of November 27, 2007 (day 3)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as I said in my Member’s statement today, I have some concerns about the line of questioning and the, I suppose, answer to the questions that I asked here in this House on October 19th. Now, being very careful to draw the distinction, I’m not asking the Premier to go back to the decisions or the actions of the 15th Assembly. But in this House on October 19, when the 16th Assembly was in action, when he was the Premier of this government and I sought questions as to the current status of the Deh Cho Bridge project and specifically asked about the extent of our government’s liability, did he know that the concession agreement had already been signed? Thank you.

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. The honourable Premier, Mr. Roland.

Return To Question 15-16(1): Deh Cho Bridge Concession Agreement

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the question the Member asked is, one, was I aware of the signing of the concession agreement. In the previous Assembly, a decision was made to proceed with that. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Roland. Supplementary, Mrs. Groenewegen.

Supplementary To Question 15-16(1): Deh Cho Bridge Concession Agreement

On October 19, 2007, when the 16th Assembly was sitting in this House and I was asking Mr. Roland questions as the Premier, did he know that the concession agreement had been signed with the Deh Cho Bridge Corporation? Thank you.

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. Mr. Roland.

Further Return To Question 15-16(1): Deh Cho Bridge Concession Agreement

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yes, as the decision was made by the previous Assembly to proceed. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Roland. Supplementary, Mrs. Groenewegen.

Supplementary To Question 15-16(1): Deh Cho Bridge Concession Agreement

Thank you. To the issue of the liability of this government with respect to the Deh Cho Bridge project, is the Premier, and was the Premier, aware that the signing of that agreement would necessarily take the level of commitment of this government and the liability of this government to a new stage? Thank you.

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. Mr. Roland.

Further Return To Question 15-16(1): Deh Cho Bridge Concession Agreement

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in response to the questions on the 19th of this October, looking at the issues there, as I responded, the liabilities on our government remain the same as long as the conditions hadn’t been made, there’s no final contract on this project when signed. They’re waiting for a number of factors to be settled yet. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Roland. Final supplementary, Mrs. Groenewegen.

Supplementary To Question 15-16(1): Deh Cho Bridge Concession Agreement

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the working of a consensus government is based on our credibility on this side of the House to ask questions and to receive accountable and transparent answers from the other side. That’s the whole basis of this debate in the House. I mean, Mr. Roland can split hairs about this, but he knows the intent of my question and some of my colleagues was to find out what had transpired and where our government sat in terms of commitment. My question is to the Premier. In retrospect, was the signing of the concession agreement not a very key piece of information that he should have shared that day? Thank you.

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. Mr. Roland.

Further Return To Question 15-16(1): Deh Cho Bridge Concession Agreement

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, whether we’re splitting hairs or not, I responded to the questions that were given to me about the liability, about some of the commitments that we’ve made. Yes, I know it is a sensitive issue, but a decision had been made. In hindsight, I could go back and say, if the question was asked of me, I would have to respond in the affirmative, and maybe I should have at that point, but I was taking questions from every Member on every portfolio. So I apologize if I wasn’t sincere enough or clear enough, but, as Hansard would show, I was responding to the questions that were directed at me, and I think I had done that on that day. Thank you.