Debates of May 9, 2007 (day 3)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my questions today are for the Premier, the Minister responsible for the Deh Cho Bridge Act and corporation, and the proposed construction of the Mackenzie River bridge. Mr. Speaker, as I mentioned in my Member's statement earlier, most residents here in the North Slave region in the city of Yellowknife would welcome a bridge. But from where I stand, I don't believe the project has received any level of scrutiny by Members of this House, by the public; and by the sounds of the Premier's sessional statement, we're marching headlong into agreements without any federal assistance. Mr. Speaker, I'm a tad bit confused, I must say, because over the past three years the government has insisted that the project wouldn't go ahead unless there was federal assistance, and now in the sessional statement today the Premier is saying that the project is going to go ahead. So I'd like to ask the Premier, if he could, to let us know if indeed the project, the Mackenzie River bridge, will be built without any federal assistance. Mahsi.

Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. Honourable Premier, Mr. Handley.

Return To Question 41-15(6): Deh Cho Bridge Project

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Let me, first of all, clarify that responsibility for the bridge project now rests with the Minister of Transportation. But, Mr. Speaker, I'll answer the question since it was directed to me. Yes, we are going to move ahead. We'll move ahead carefully, but we'll move ahead with solidarity. We're not going to slow down on this one. Mr. Speaker, I wrote to the Prime Minister this week, asking him, reminding him of his commitment and that this is part of the national highway system and we fully expect to have that. Mr. Speaker, keep in mind that these negotiations are between the Bridge Corporation and the contractor. It is the Bridge Corporation who is owning this bridge during the concession period, so it's not 100 percent ours. But I will take a look at how we can arrange briefings for the Members. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Handley. Supplementary, Mr. Ramsay.

Supplementary To Question 41-15(6): Deh Cho Bridge Project

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the fact of the matter is the decision to proceed and whether in fact the Deh Cho Bridge Corporation enters into agreements with contractors, that is going to tie the hands of what's left of this government and the governments for the next 35 years into paying for it, not to mention the tolls that are going to have to be paid on goods that are trucked across that bridge. I think we really have to take a look at this and make a business case for it. Again, we've had one briefing in the past three years that would suggest if you're anywhere close to making a decision, without any federal money, Mr. Speaker, this project, to me, should be put on the back burner. I don't believe we should be taking all the risk. I'd like to ask a question to the Premier. How much equity or risk is the Deh Cho Bridge Corporation putting into this project? Mahsi.

Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. Honourable Premier, Mr. Handley.

Further Return To Question 41-15(6): Deh Cho Bridge Project

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Let me just remind Members that in 1978 I believe it was, the Legislative Assembly of the day looked at the price of the bridge and decided then that $6.2 million was too much, so they put it on the back burner. Today we're looking at, as the Member had said, something in the neighbourhood of 130, somewhere in that range. If we had done it in 1978 instead of putting it on the back burner, we would have had a bridge a long time ago and we'd have a cost of living that's a lot lower than it is today.

Mr. Speaker, I'm concerned of putting it on the back burner because the costs are going to continue to go up. So we've got to get on with this project and that's been our message to the federal government: Get on with it. Do it. It's going to be less money this year than it's going to be five years from now or whenever we think we may have the money.

Mr. Speaker, in regard to the equity from the Bridge Corporation; yes, they are putting money into it. They are investing in it; they are taking some risk on it, and I don't have the exact numbers on that information, Mr. Speaker. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Handley. Supplementary, Mr. Ramsay.

Supplementary To Question 41-15(6): Deh Cho Bridge Project

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I know some of my colleagues are saying build a bridge. Well, build a bridge; we haven't seen a business case, we haven't seen the numbers, and I'd like to know how we can build a $130 million bridge with our eyes closed, Mr. Speaker, and to me that's what we're doing, we're building it with our eyes closed. We haven't seen a business plan; we haven't seen the numbers; the feds aren't coming up with any money, but yet we're going to move ahead and enter into agreements. Mr. Speaker, something about that just doesn't sit right with me. Sure, I want a bridge, like anybody else wants a bridge, but I want to know how the heck we're going to pay for it over the next 35 years and that has to be clearly spelled out. The stakeholders in the North Slave region have to be consulted. I'd like to ask the Premier if the stakeholders, and I'm talking about the business community here in the North Slave, when are they going to be consulted about the possible increase to the tolls that trucks are going to have to pay crossing that bridge? Mahsi.

Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. Mr. Handley.

Further Return To Question 41-15(6): Deh Cho Bridge Project

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. What is of concern to the stakeholders north of the Mackenzie River is the amount of the toll and what that is going to cost them. That's the bottom line for them. In terms of the detail of all the financial information and how it's being financed and so on, that's something that I will see if we can share it with the committee, but keep in mind it is the Bridge Corporation's contract not ours. We're paying a toll and we're paying, in addition to the toll, an amount to make this work including the ice crossing and winter road. But, Mr. Speaker, it's the bottom line of how much it costs that is going to be important to people.

Mr. Speaker, just a correction. The Member said earlier in his statement that the commitment was that the toll would not exceed $6. That's not quite accurate. The toll was set at $6, but there's also a factor that was worked in for inflation. So it would go up gradually over the years because some day, 20 years from now, 30 years from now, $6 may have the value of $2. So we need to have that inflationary built into it. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Handley. Final supplementary, Mr. Ramsay.

Supplementary To Question 41-15(6): Deh Cho Bridge Project

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I want the Premier and the government to know I'm ready and willing to work with them to see that this bridge gets constructed. I just want to know what's happening and, Mr. Speaker, we haven't been given the level of detail that would let me lend my support to us entering into a $130 million deal with the Deh Cho Bridge Corporation. At the end of the day it is public money. It requires the scrutiny of this Legislature before the government can enter into getting this project off the ground. I would like to ask the Premier if he could commit to coming back before any agreements are signed to vet the agreements with Regular Members of this House at the very least. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. Mr. Handley.

Further Return To Question 41-15(6): Deh Cho Bridge Project

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Again, as I say, the Bridge Corporation will be signing the agreement. They have undertaken to complete the agreements within a month, or by early June. Mr. Speaker, if we have the information that can be shared with the Members, then certainly we will do that. There is nothing secret in here other than the confidentiality by the partners in the agreement. Mr. Speaker, I must say I appreciate the Member’s support for the project. We will make it a project that is good. Mr. Speaker, if I might say, as well, there is P3 money in the federal budget for this year and for future years. There is also extra capital money, $25 million a year in there. We don’t intend to use big chunks of that for this bridge but, Mr. Speaker, we intend to get our share of that P3 money to apply for this and make it a great P3 project. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.