Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today I would like to give the Members of the Assembly a progress report on the Deh Cho Bridge project. I am pleased to say that progress to complete this P3, a private/public partnership, agreement is proceeding very well. A finished agreement, including a final, fixed price, could be concluded as soon as the next three to six weeks.

The Assembly will recall that the Fort Providence Combined Council Alliance first approached this government in February 2002 with its proposal to build and operate a bridge at Fort Providence over the Mackenzie River. The Government examined the proposal to determine its basic feasibility and was satisfied that it was indeed a viable proposal. The Department of Transportation was directed to take the lead to work with the alliance to develop a more detailed and definitive arrangement. On November 15th last year, the Government of the Northwest Territories and the Fort Providence alliance committed to a memorandum of intent that laid out the framework and process involved with forming a public/private partnership for the purpose of building and operating the Deh Cho Bridge.

Since last November, the Deh Cho Bridge Corporation and the Department of Transportation have tackled systematically the many engineering, land tenure, regulatory, financial and legal issues surrounding the bridge project.

I am sure, Mr. Speaker, that the Members will appreciate that the agreement or, more accurately, the multiple inter-connected agreements are complex and demand patient attention to detail. Although complicated enough in itself, we are not just working out a contract to cover the initial construction of the bridge. This is a long-term operational partnership as well. The agreement must define the respective roles and responsibilities of the parties that will continue over the 35 years of the repayment period, long after construction has finished.

On its part, the 14th Legislative Assembly enacted the Deh Cho Bridge Act conferring the necessary legal authorities for the government to enter into the contemplated public/private partnership.

If we are able to finish the partnership agreement over the next several weeks, according to the construction schedule, we can look forward to the Deh Cho Bridge carrying its first traffic two years from now in the fall of 2005. Won't that be a spectacular occasion! Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause