David Ramsay

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I give notice that on Wednesday, August 22, 2007, I will move the following motion: Now therefore I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Sahtu, that this Legislative Assembly strongly recommends the GNWT undertake and disclose updated economic modeling showing the Deh Cho Bridge project’s anticipated socio-economic impact and benefits, as it did in 2003; and further that this Legislative Assembly strongly recommends the GNWT defer signing any further agreements concerning the Deh Cho Bridge until after the 16th Assembly is in office. Thank you.

Thank you, committee. Page 13, Health and Social Services, capital investment expenditures, not previously authorized, community health programs, $417,000, total department, $417,000.

Page 12, Executive, capital investment expenditures, Human Resources, not previously authorized, employee relations, $523,000, total Human Resources, $523,000. Mrs. Groenewegen.

Thank you, committee. To the bill as a whole?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, all I have been critical of with the government is I just want to see the proof. Show me the proof and I can support the project. The government hasn’t been able, for whatever reason, to show me the proof that the cost of living in Yellowknife and in the North Slave region will not go up if this bridge is built.

I would like to ask the Premier if these numbers, that is $150 million, that is $7 a tonne or $6.75 a tonne, has been shopped around to stakeholders here in the North Slave region. I am talking about industry, transportation companies...

Thank you, Minister Roland. Mrs. Groenewegen.

Page 11, Environment and Natural Resources, operations expenditures, special warrants, forest management, $1.980 million.

Clause 7.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my questions today are for the Premier. I want to say the Minister responsible for the Deh Cho Bridge Corporation, which would be the Minister of Transportation, but for my arguments today and my questions, I would like to ask the Premier. Getting back to my Member’s statement earlier, nowhere in the Deh Cho Bridge Act does it say that a bridge across the Mackenzie River should be built at any price. What the Deh Cho Bridge Act does is give the government the ability to negotiate, on behalf of the residents of the Northwest Territories, an agreement....

Thank you, Minister Roland. Mrs. Groenewegen.