Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. I also rise in support of this motion, but I have to agree with some of my colleagues here. I do support in principle that we could use a bridge, but I do support this motion as amended because, as various other Members have pointed out, it does make us more accountable and more transparent; more importantly, it makes us more responsible to the electorate. As far as I can see, this bridge is going to be paid for by all residents of the NWT over the next 35 or 40 years and I think it's to those residents that we owe all the transparent information that we can give them to ensure that we're making a really informed and responsible decision in that spending over the next 35 years that they're going to be out of pocket with.
So, Mr. Speaker, we, here in the northern part of the NWT and Yellowknife, the Tlicho, Providence, the communities, you know, we've lived with the ferry since day one and even beyond that. I don't see anybody in Yellowknife, for instance, complaining that they're out of pocket in the cost of living as compared to Hay River or south of the lake because we don't have a bridge. To me, through this motion, I'd like to see the government show me that there is evidence that the people up here in the northern part of the NWT with the connection of the bridge is going to make life all that much sweeter and cheaper for everybody here. We know houses are skyrocketing north and south of the lake. It's pretty much all relative where we are and I just can't support a simple notion that a $150 million or $160 million bridge is going to make things all that much better here, and people are going to have more money to spend, and it's going to be easier for industry to come here and work in the northern regions with the bridge in place, because all we're looking at really is three weeks to a month that we're out. We're innovative and creative here in the NWT and we always find ways, cheaper ways of working to remain sustainable. So when the government does come back and gives us some impact benefits analysis, a cost of living analysis that shows we could really benefit over the long run, gee whiz, I'll stand behind them 110 percent, 1,000 percent, wherever you want. But right now I do like the idea of a bridge. I'm not just going to fully endorse it just because of the fact that it's a good idea. I'd like to see that the numbers do show that we will have savings over the long term and people will benefit over the long term. I'll just leave it at that. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
---Applause