Joe Handley

Mr. Speaker, I’ve asked the same question. First of all, what is the rationale for half of one’s lifetime in order to qualify under the affirmative action policy, and I am also asking whether this is any inconsistency or possible violation of our other legislation. But, Mr. Speaker, at this time I don’t know the rationale that was used at the time this was established. Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, I wish to table the following document entitled Self-Reliant People, Communities and Northwest Territories -- A Shared Responsibility, Government of the Northwest Territories Strategic Plan, June 2004. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

But, Mr. Speaker, the Bridge Corporation are using the time that is available to them now to do more testing on the design of the bridge. They have made some changes to the design as a result of testing. They will be issuing a tender for the project, and we will take every step possible to ensure that there are no cost overruns. Mr. Speaker, on this size of project, that is a substantial challenge for the designers to be able to ever come up with a project that is going to be right on with no change orders. Mr. Speaker, the latest information that we have from the Bridge Corporation is...

Mr. Speaker, if you look at the agreement you will find that the GNWT’s contribution to the bridge when it is built is going to be the cost of operating the ferry, the cost of building and maintaining that ice bridge. Beyond that the costs for the bridge will be recouped through a toll. So whatever the price is, the GNWT is not assuming additional risk. The only risk we would assume would be if for some reason the bridge was never built. Then we have been guaranteeing loans to enable the Deh Cho Bridge Corporation to continue on with their planning and environmental assessment for the...

Mr. Speaker, I will check to see what information is available, and whatever I have access to I will certainly be happy to share it with the Member. In terms of commitments on the bridge, we will certainly want to know what the price is before we make a final commitment. We won’t know what that price is until the contract is tendered and we have something firm from the successful bidder. Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, it’s not unusual when proponents make submissions for the environmental review process to have it deemed to be incomplete. The information that was provided by the Deh Cho Bridge Corporation, to my knowledge, was incomplete. The environmental review board asked for more information that is being provided. The bridge corporation tells me that the environmental review process is still scheduled to be completed by September. So at this point, I don’t have any concerns that this is going to cause a delay. Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, I’d like to recognize a number of people. First of all my wife, Theresa, who is here; Barb Saunders, the executive director for the Council of Status of Women, my faithful constituent; the major for the Salvation Army, Karen Hoeft; and also, I don’t know if he’s left, but Chief Peter Liske was here as well. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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Mr. Speaker, I expect that we will have a final design for the bridge by this fall. It will not be finalized until the environmental review is completed. We expect that to be in September. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We certainly won’t make the mistakes those city councillors made on that project.

Mr. Speaker, I’m generally aware of those two projects, two different situations. The Willow Creek Bridge goes back a number of years. There were some design problems with it. I expect that the Department of Transportation has learned from that. In terms of the other bridge where ice removed, it was a much smaller bridge but, again, one that we have concerns about, the inconsistent flow of water and ice in those small streams in that area. Mr. Speaker, the Deh Cho Bridge is a totally different kind of structure. It is a much larger bridge. It is one that the design is a very serious...