Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I want to continue to ask a few questions about the Minister’s statement regarding the Deh Cho Bridge. The Minister also talks about the contractor providing the Department of Transportation with a revised construction schedule. That comes as news to me. I am glad he mentioned it today. He also talks about the department evaluating this to determine whether the contracted completion date can be met. Mr. Speaker, a schedule, to me, would outline when the construction on that project can be complete. Is that date still November of 2011, Mr. Speaker? Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. The honourable Minister of Transportation, Mr. McLeod.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The answer is yes. Right now, the challenge that we are facing is to look at the construction methods that are going to be required to provide the final completion portion of the decking including the asphalt pour and we have come to realize that there is going to be certain challenges as the weather is going to be cold at that time of the year and how do we accommodate that and how is the contractor proposing to do that. There is some technical information that has come forward that we need to review and confirm whether it is acceptable or not. That is the information that we need to, on an ongoing basis, continue to work at. Thank you.
Mr. Speaker, seeing as we have taken over control of the Deh Cho Bridge Corporation and that contract between what was then the Deh Cho Bridge Corporation and Ruskin, I am wondering if the Minister can comment on what our potential liabilities are or risks associated with being in that contract with Ruskin. This is related to cost, Mr. Speaker. Thank you.
Mr. Speaker, there is always potential for cost overruns on a project of this nature. We have already experienced that. There are unforeseen circumstances that are not identified in the contract that is at no fault of the contractor. Of course, that would become our responsibility, Mr. Speaker. We have worked this contract with our current contractor. We feel it is a fair one. The date, of course, is always going to be up for discussion with the general public as we move forward. We would like to meet that date; however, we are not going to jeopardize any issues around safety or quality. Things of that nature have to be kept in the forefront and our goal is to build a bridge that is going to be there for the long haul. It is going to be there for something that people will admire and come to see. That is where we place our priority, Mr. Speaker. We are working towards getting this project done without jeopardizing any safety or quality issues. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Time for question period has expired; however, I will allow the Member a supplementary question. Mr. Ramsay.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The department also states in the Auditor General’s report that Members were kept informed of the financial requirements of the project. In February 2008, the regulations were amended to allow for an indemnity in the lender protection agreement in favour of the trustee and the lenders. Whose decision was that to change the regulations and how they notified the Members of those regulations being changed? Thank you.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to inform the Member that we have kept in line with the practice that this government has followed for quite a few years. It has been used since 1999. The government has used this practice 20 times. We made no special allowances for the bridge project. We followed protocol. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Final supplementary, Mr. Ramsay.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. That begs the question: why were the regulations amended in February 2008 to indemnify the lenders in this? Why were the regulations changed if they were following policy as the Minister states? Why were the regulations changed? Thank you.
Mr. Speaker, the Members of this House during the 15th Assembly and were also briefed in the 16th Assembly, were kept informed of the process leading up to the concession agreement. They also were aware that to make this project happen, additional dollars were committed to and also aware that there was a need for an indemnity. Mr. Speaker, there were a number of meetings. I think there were three over the summer and a total of 35 meetings over the life of this project, for sure, have been to provide information to the Members. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Item 8, written questions. The honourable Member for Kam Lake, Mr. Ramsay.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I seek unanimous consent to return to item 7, oral questions. Thank you.
---Unanimous consent granted
The honourable Member for Kam Lake, Mr. Ramsay.
