Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to speak briefly about concerns I have with the government's capital planning process and the contracts which are let out in this area. Last week, I asked a written question to the Minister responsible for Public Works and Services requesting information as to how they do estimates, cost overriding and final costs for projects. Today, I will be asking the Minister responsible for Transportation a similar question.
My concern, Mr. Speaker, is it seems to me, with my experience with budgets over the last few years, that there is a tendency for significant cost overruns. There is a significant difference between what is initially estimated and what the final project costs are. I know that from projects in my own riding, where a school came in $1.6 million over budget. The same happened with the school in Aklavik. I know there was a project in the supplementary appropriation in Inuvik that was over budget. I know the capital project on Highway No. 4 on highway wear was significantly over budget.
This raises serious concerns at a time when we are struggling to find every dollar, to make the best use of every cent we have, to put it into programs for the people we serve. I would like to know from the government if there is a problem. If there is a problem, how do we collectively work to fix it?
We were told that market conditions are a factor. We have to allow for that. We cannot come in after the fact and say it is over budget due to market conditions we did not anticipate. We are paid to anticipate. Our staff are paid to anticipate.
I believe we have to get the facts. I believe asking it in the House in a written form to the Minister will supply me with those facts, which I can then share with my colleagues. Then we can sit down together to look at how this process is working, to see how we can avoid cost overruns and ensure our estimating is within a small percentage of what is initially budgeted for. Mr. Speaker, I will be raising this written question at the appropriate time today. I look forward to working with my colleagues to see if we can save money by preventing cost overruns that can be put to programs or other capital projects. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.