Robert Hawkins

I’m doubtful but always hopeful, of course, that the Transportation Minister probably can answer this question. It’s regarding Minister Flaherty’s position and, as I have stressed to the Premier who is acting in the capacity of Finance Minister today, my concern on the weight of the position that Finance Minister Flaherty has assured us that this will be coming for special dispensation to be able to carry this type of number on our books. The issue for me is, I guess, satisfying the concern that this will actually be fulfilled. I’m trying to say it in such a way as when does the Premier expect...

As we’ve all seen that the situation has changed significantly and under one of the sections under the Deh Cho Bridge Act, 6-1(2), the toll is collected for the Deh Cho Bridge Fund and it’s a special purpose fund. I’m just curious as to who controls that special purpose fund, the Deh Cho Bridge Fund, in this particular example. Has that been envisioned or has a solution been found for that particular case at this time, because that’s, if I read the act correctly, where all money in the context of tolls are to be directed. So I’m just trying to find out who controls that fund, especially in...

I appreciate that on the record. With the change in the DCBC, so the Deh Cho Bridge Corporation, is it envisioned that the concession agreement value will change as this finds its way to the point where we have the bridge built and we find that particular role for the Deh Cho Bridge Corporation, assuming it still wants to exist and participate? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I guess some of the fundamental questions I really have, have to do with what’s actually changed. You know, I see this as we head out in two processes. The first one being the idea one that obviously isn’t going to happen, which was everything was funded and paid through the Deh Cho Bridge Corporation and obviously that isn’t going to work, but fundamentally the payments I thought the government would be responsible and paying for would be somewhat similar if we ended up being in the circumstance that we are in today. So in other words, now that we’ve taken the debt on...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I’d like to table an article from a magazine called Bridge Design and Engineering. It’s a UK magazine and someone had brought it to my attention, so I’d like to table the article regarding the Deh Cho Bridge Project. Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, the Minister did not answer the question. What stops the Department of Health and Social Services from creating a policy in the medical travel directive that recognizes respite and uniting families through such difficult processes? What would stop the Minister from creating a policy to recognize these challenges that wouldn’t probably be needed very often? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In my Member’s statement today I talked about my concerns with the Medical Travel Policy. To be very specific, we don’t have a policy that works with the families that help them go through the medical transplant process, and the policy does not support parents beyond the initial one that travels down.

Mr. Speaker, my question directly to the Minister of Health and Social Services is: how does she see the present Medical Travel Policy accommodating the extended family that needs to be there through trying times such as this? Thank you.

So why are we not a territory of compassion that takes circumstances and fairly weighs them with the empathy and understanding that needs to be taken into consideration?

So to close my statement with one final matter that needs to be put into perspective -- and most certainly, God forbid, that this day ever does come -- however, if that dark day and disappointing moment had to come where this child, a two-year-old smiling and wonderful little boy named Jonas, had to have his machines turned off, our Medical Travel Policy wouldn’t unite this family one last time. It would leave that mother alone...

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I will be voting for the motion.

---Laughter

I feel strongly I can make that commitment. I think an important factor to emphasize here, although it’s a side of this fundamental issue which is the fact that this $500 million debt wall is an arbitrary number set by an Order-in-Council by the Government of Canada on us. It has no basis or values, in my view, that speak to the fact that is a $500 million debt wall a reasonable debt wall for this government in its ability to pay. You know, it doesn’t speak to the bigger problem. I mean I support the motion, but the problem is...

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I move we report progress.

---Carried