Debates of October 19, 2007 (day 2)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to follow up a little bit on the Deh Cho Bridge, if I could. As everybody knows, climate change is going to affect our food, it’s going to affect our caribou, our fish; many of these are already declining or changing their patterns of behaviour. It’s going to affect our waterways, our water quality. It’s affecting our infrastructure and, of course, our budgets and so on. Transportation causes over half of our greenhouse gas emissions. What consideration -- and I don’t know whether this is legitimate to look at the past here or what -- has been given to climate change impacts in the design of the bridge, and has there been consideration or will you give consideration to making sure that there’s a train trestle as part of the design of the bridge as an important way of reducing our greenhouse gas emissions in the Northwest Territories? Thank you very much.

Thank you, Mr. Bromley. A couple of questions there. The honourable Premier, Mr. Roland.

Return To Question 13-16(1): Environmental Impact Of Deh Cho Bridge Project

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in any design we move forward on, looking at the development of the Northwest Territories and environmental impact and footprint is considered as we proceed. Right now, the bridge design that’s been put in place does not have a train trestle as part of it. That would definitely increase the cost and bring back the question of affordability of the project. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Roland. Supplementary, Mr. Bromley.

Supplementary To Question 13-16(1): Environmental Impact Of Deh Cho Bridge Project

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker, and thank you, Premier. I think one of the methodologies I would like to see this House adopt is full cost accounting. When we look at the cost of climate change and the cost of allowing our greenhouse gas emissions to continue to climb -- I think we’ve doubled, almost tripled them in the last decade -- we need to recognize the costs that go along with those. For example, the increasing cost of infrastructure, school roofs caving in and so. Will the Premier commit to full cost accounting in all government processes involving the expenditure of funds from now on? Thank you very much.

Thank you, Mr. Bromley. Mr. Roland.

Further Return To Question 13-16(1): Environmental Impact Of Deh Cho Bridge Project

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I guess I go back to the fact that it’s the beauty of the system we’re in, consensus government, the fact that as we begin our business plan process review, how that’s structured, the number of years that that is reviewed under that, this is one of the considerations that can be put into place as we proceed. So I’d be happy to sit down with Members as we begin that process to see if that is one of the things that I can do and how it affects the business planning as is prepared now by the Government of the Northwest Territories. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Roland. Supplementary, Mr. Bromley.

Supplementary To Question 13-16(1): Environmental Impact Of Deh Cho Bridge Project

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker, and thanks to the Premier for that response. I understand that I was straying a little bit, covering a couple of different topics and I want to apologize for that. That’s all I had wanted to say, to express my appreciation for that and I look forward to further discussion.

---Applause