Debates of November 28, 2007 (day 4)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am kind of feeling like the late Rodney Dangerfield and not getting much satisfaction.

---Laughter

I am going to try again. I have questions for the Minister of Transportation. With the P3 project, obviously the government and the Department of Transportation have put a lot of time, effort and resources into the pursuit of the Deh Cho Bridge project and the process. Meanwhile, I am seeing other projects in the territory such as the city of Yellowknife Kam Lake bypass. We have the Tuk access road as well as the Kakisa Bridge. Other projects are being left out or not deserving of the attention that they need and require. I would like to ask the Minister of Transportation if he could provide the House with a detailed accounting of what the department has spent in terms of our resources and manpower on pursuing the Deh Cho Bridge project at the detriment of other projects around the territory, Mr. Speaker. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. The honourable Minister of Transportation, Mr. Yakeleya.

Return To Question 45-16(1): Deh Cho Bridge Project

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I thank the Member for the question. Mr. Speaker, the Deh Cho Bridge is a P3 project. It doesn’t come out of any other source of funding that I know of in terms of how we spend our time and energy on this project here. He referenced the example of the Yellowknife bypass. That is coming out. If it is the project that this government feels is a priority, it will come out of other sources of funding offered up by the Building Canada funding.

Mr. Speaker, the resources in terms of our government putting energy and effort in is done by the Deh Cho Bridge Corporation’s representatives in terms of the exact counting. I will have to get back to him in terms of the amount he is asking for. I don’t have it at my fingertips right now. However, the Deh Cho Bridge Corporation, Mr. Speaker, is an example of how innovative approaches to look at projects, key infrastructures right down the Mackenzie Valley. This is one project that we know we have to look at in terms of building transportation infrastructure in the Northwest Territories. Fortunately, we had to see this as an opportunity that we see a high volume of traffic coming through the Mackenzie crossing. This is an opportunity that we could benefit the people in the North. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. The time for question period has expired; however, I will allow the Member a short supplementary. Mr. Ramsay.

Supplementary To Question 45-16(1): Deh Cho Bridge Project

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I thank the Minister for that. From where I sit, Mr. Speaker, it seems to me that the department has spent a lot of time and effort on the Deh Cho Bridge project and we talked about the Kam Lake access road, the city of Yellowknife bypass road and the Building Canada Fund. Where exactly is that road? I stood up in this House for four years asking about the Kam Lake access road. We are spending our time and effort on the Deh Cho Bridge and we are not spending enough effort in other areas of the territory, Mr. Speaker. I would like to ask the Minister -- he brought it up -- where exactly is the Kam Lake bypass road on this government’s agenda, Mr. Speaker? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. Mr. Yakeleya.

Further Return To Question 45-16(1): Deh Cho Bridge Project

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I am working very closely with Minister McLeod. He is the lead Minister on infrastructure funding under the Canada build fund. I will bring that up with the Minister in terms of the issue of the Yellowknife bypass road, in terms of many other infrastructures that we wanted, balancing investment down the Mackenzie Valley in terms of these specific priorities. I will bring the issue of the amount of energy and resources that we have spent on this department on the Deh Cho Bridge by my department in terms of this issue here. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. Short supplementary, Mr. Ramsay.

Supplementary To Question 45-16(1): Deh Cho Bridge Project

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the Minister talks about the Building Canada Fund. I would like to ask the Minister today what projects are included on that list of Building Canada Fund? Is the Yellowknife bypass road on that list, Mr. Speaker? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. Mr. Yakeleya.

Further Return To Question 45-16(1): Deh Cho Bridge Project

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I have heard in my month as the Minister of Transportation from Members from across the House here, Members from this side here. We have many competing priorities. There is no final list right now. I can tell you that I am looking at investments down the Mackenzie Valley. There is no list right now that is finalized and we can present to you. I will be working with the Minister, lead in infrastructure. I will be working with Ministers on this side. I will be working with Members of the Legislative Assembly here in terms of having a final list.

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

Supplementary To Question 45-16(1): Deh Cho Bridge Project

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, sources I have outside of this building would indicate that the Kam Lake bypass road, the Yellowknife bypass road is not on a list. It is not on that Building Canada list. So I take issue with the Minister not saying that. There are competing priorities; yes, there are. That is a priority here in the city of Yellowknife. It belongs on that list. It is not on the list. I want to know why it is not on that list, Mr. Speaker. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. Mr. Yakeleya.

Further Return To Question 45-16(1): Deh Cho Bridge Project

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, there is no list. If there is a list, there are many lists of many projects that are looked at. We are going to consider that in Cabinet. Once we have decided that in Cabinet, we will come to the committee and look at the list, if there is a list. Right now, there is no list.

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. The honourable Member for Hay River South, Mrs. Groenewegen.

Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to extend question period. Thank you.

The Member is seeking unanimous consent to extend question period. Are there any nays? There are no nays. We will extend question period; but before we do, the Chair is going to call a short break.

---Applause