Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have a motion for a request for a special audit by the Auditor General of Canada on the North Slave Correctional Centre.

WHEREAS a large percentage of Government of the Northwest Territories capital spending for the last three years has been directed towards the North Slave Correctional Centre;

AND WHEREAS the North Slave Correctional Centre has experienced numerous construction delays and significant cost overruns;

AND WHEREAS these cost overruns have impacted on the ability of this government to fund vitally needed infrastructure projects in other communities;

AND WHEREAS this has created hardships and impacts on the health and well being of Northerners in our smaller communities;

AND WHEREAS the Auditor General of Canada is the auditor for the Northwest Territories by virtue of the Northwest Territories Act and the Financial Administration Act;

AND WHEREAS section 31 of the Northwest Territories Act gives the Auditor General all the powers in the Northwest Territories that the Auditor General has under the Auditor General Act;

AND WHEREAS subsection 113(1) of the Auditor General Act describes the powers of the Auditor General to be entitled to free access at all convenient times to information that relates to the fulfillment of her responsibilities;

AND WHEREAS each Government of the Northwest Territories department and its officials are responsible for cooperating with the office of the Auditor General and with the controller government and for responding to and acting on the observation raised by the office of the Auditor General relating to the concerns arising from audits;

AND WHEREAS the Auditor General reports directly to the Legislative Assembly;

AND WHEREAS there is significant concern by the Legislative Assembly that the public interest requires the Auditor General to conduct a special audit into all matters and circumstances surrounding the construction and cost overruns of the North Slave Correctional Centre;

NOW THEREFORE I MOVE, seconded by the honourable Member for the Mackenzie Delta, that this Legislative Assembly requests the Auditor General of Canada to undertake a special audit into all aspects and approvals of the processes and decisions that lead to the significant cost overruns of the North Slave Correctional Centre;

AND FURTHER, that the Auditor General investigate and consider any other factors in her opinion she feels relevant;

AND FURTHERMORE, that all employees and officials actively cooperate with the Auditor General in providing all appropriate documents, papers and information;

AND FURTHERMORE, that the government inform its contractors of the nature and purpose of the special audit;

AND FURTHERMORE, that the Auditor General is requested to complete the special audit as soon as practicable and provide a report to the Legislative Assembly.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.