Debates of November 27, 2007 (day 3)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, with respect to the Deh Cho Bridge 3P project, we have an infrastructure deficit in the Northwest Territories. We have a lending limit. Acquiring capital projects through public/private partnerships is something that is not a foreign concept. It hasn’t been a very happy concept for this government, might I say, to date. However, if the government were going to consider this method for acquiring capital infrastructure in the future, I think it would be prudent to have a P3 policy in place for this government, because obviously we’re flying right now by the seat of our pants and we haven’t had very happy experience with P3 in the past with one or two other projects. So I would like to ask the Premier, does the GNWT have a policy regarding the acquiring of capital infrastructure through 3P projects, or 3P, P3 process? Thank you.

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

Return To Question 28-16(1): Deh Cho Bridge Concession Agreement

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the Government of the Northwest Territories has in the past looked at P3 programs, in fact entered into one project, looking at a number, then moved away from that process. I’ve discussed with a number of Ministers and we’ve set up a Cabinet committee to look at the whole question of infrastructure and how we get that infrastructure. So this will be one of the matters that we will direct them to work on, as well. Thank you.

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

Supplementary To Question 28-16(1): Deh Cho Bridge Concession Agreement

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the issue of a public/private partnership raises the question of how those kinds of arrangements for projecting an expenditure or committing to an expenditure that goes out 35 years is an interesting anomaly for our government. I’d like to know, I’d like to be able to find out how it coincides with our Financial Administration Act and to do that I need a copy of that concession agreement. So I’d like to ask the Minister, will he table a copy of the concession agreement, even with its unfinished 12 chapters, in this House? Thank you.

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. Mr. Roland.

Further Return To Question 28-16(1): Deh Cho Bridge Concession Agreement

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we’re unable to table that concession agreement, as we’re working with the parties involved. As I’ve committed on the 19th, the Minister responsible will sit with Members around this project. He has done that and provided some information. But the concession agreement itself we’ll not be tabling in this House. The issue of the P3 subject, we’re working with Ottawa to come up with the final parameters of their program and that’s the funding source that was being looked at in that area. For dealing with the Financial Administration Act and the documents that we work with in that area is something that we review every time when projects come forward for approval. Thank you.

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

Supplementary To Question 28-16(1): Deh Cho Bridge Concession Agreement

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we refer to this as a public/private partnership, but may I suggest that this is a mostly public project. There is very little private in this. We are a public government and we are expending public funds. I think the public has a right to know what it is exactly that we are committing to. The Deh Cho Bridge project is anticipated to come in at $165 million. This is the largest capital project ever undertaken by the Government of the Northwest Territories. We need public accountability and public transparency on this and maybe we’ll consult with the Access to Information and Privacy Commissioner and find out. This is a public…This is 99 percent a public project. We need the document. Thank you.

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. Mr. Roland.

Further Return To Question 28-16(1): Deh Cho Bridge Concession Agreement

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the project is one that is there in its form. We have worked with a number of issues around that. The information about the cost of the project, the fact that there will be a toll fee on this project qualifies it as we’ve had discussions, or the Government of the Northwest Territories had a discussion with the federal government qualifies for what the P3 program is going to be established around. But they haven’t moved far enough on the area of the whole P3 process that they’ve undergone. The fact that individuals and companies will feel that impact because they will be paying the toll fee and, yes, the GNWT is involved through our O and M maintenance, as well as, as is pointed out, the costs that have increased around this project have impacted the commitment by the government in going forward. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Roland. The time for question period has expired; however, I will allow the Member a final supplementary. Mrs. Groenewegen.

Supplementary To Question 28-16(1): Deh Cho Bridge Concession Agreement

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I guess, Mr. Speaker, the reason why I’m asking if the Premier will table the concession agreement is because we, as Members of this House, are not privy to this agreement, the public is not privy to this agreement, and certainly it has very big implications for our government regardless of the toll that’s being charged. The suggestion of my colleague Mr. Ramsay that a public inquiry be held also speaks to the issue of the transparency of this. Decisions were obviously made at a level behind closed doors that are not publicly discussable. We can’t bring the Cabinet decisions and the deliberations into the public, and I think that’s wrong. So if it takes a public inquiry to get to that, then I would support that concept. I’d ask the Premier, would he commit to a full accounting of this project? Thank you.

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. Mr. Roland.

Further Return To Question 28-16(1): Deh Cho Bridge Concession Agreement

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as I’ve committed to the Member prior in question period, that I would undertake a review of this process of where it’s at today and be prepared to sit down with Members again once I’ve done that work. Thank you.