David Ramsay

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today I’m going to again discuss the Deh Cho Bridge Project. I’d like to thank the government for providing the technical briefing to the media yesterday, although I still don’t understand why it had to be held downtown in a boardroom when we have a dedicated meeting room here at the Legislature, and it should have been held with the Minister of Transportation and the Minister of Finance there to answer questions.

Mr. Speaker, this was a technical briefing introducing some new members of the project management team to the media. The briefing lacked any clear and concise...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. From discussions I’ve had with constituents, there’s no training currently for P2s in the Northwest Territories when it comes to mine training. They have to leave the Territory and go to Ontario or other jurisdictions to receive the training. Mr. Speaker, I’d like to ask the Minister, would the government be looking at creating a mine training school or something to that effect here in the Northwest Territories in the near future? Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, it only makes sense to me that if there are any residents here in the Northwest Territories that require training, the requisite training to be employed at a producing diamond mine, that they get the training here in the Northwest Territories and are employed here in the Northwest Territories. There’s much more likelihood that they would continue to live in the Northwest Territories while working at the mine. I’m just wondering if the Minister could just elaborate a little bit on how exactly the government is going to work, his department and other government departments and...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As I mentioned in my statement, the contract with Ruskin was signed off I believe just yesterday. Considering that contract has been signed off, I’m wondering why the government is reluctant to let the public know the details behind their relationship with the lenders and the disposition financially of this project.

I’d like to ask the Minister of Finance what would an additional $165.5 million do to our debt wall and our ability to borrow for other projects.

We’re pressing forward, we have negotiated a one-sided deal with one company. Again, the public purse is not being protected here. Mark my words, we have set ourselves up for further cost overruns on this project by not tying off all of the loose ends. Taxpayers will again be taken for another ride on the second half of this project. We have set the stage, Mr. Speaker, for it to be a very expensive ride.

Mr. Speaker, I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again today, that this project has the possibility of crippling the Territory’s finances. Mr. Speaker, this is the sad reality we are faced...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I won’t talk about all the important things that my colleagues have already raised when it comes to supporting this motion, but obviously I’m going to support the motion. I would like to thank the mover of the motion, Mr. Bromley, and the seconder, Mr. Yakeleya, for bringing it forward.

The big thing for me is the cost of living. I’d hate to see our government forcing people an increase, even as small as this might be, onto the backs of residents. The recycling is good and, as others have said, the effort of ENR to get milk containers into the Waste Recovery Program is...

Mr. Speaker, most of the issues surrounding this project are financial in nature, and I think it would be incumbent upon the government to schedule a briefing with the local media here in the Northwest Territories to let the public know what exactly is happening with this project. I’d like to ask the Minister, if a briefing hasn’t been scheduled, when might a financial briefing be available to the media. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’m a bit surprised that the government wouldn’t be talking about the financial disposition of the project. I’d like to ask the Minister who’s providing the briefing. Is it the deputy minister of the project management team at this technical briefing? Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, it must be quite a popular event considering I haven’t seen much for media here in the building today. I’d like to ask the Minister whether or not Members could be given a copy or a transcript of what transpires at the media briefing, technical briefing that was held this afternoon so that we can compare what the government’s telling the media and what they’re telling us. Thank you.