Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to speak today in response to the press release regarding the latest news on the Deh Cho Bridge. It was just two weeks ago that the Minister and his staff came before committee and said everything was fine even though numerous questions remained. The main contractor, ATCON, had been let go, the design work was still not complete and yet the Minister and even the Finance Minister in his budget address said the project could be completed on budget, although there will be a year’s delay. The government was quick to say that the new design would be less expensive to construct and here we are just two short weeks

later and they want $15 million more to complete the project, again, without a signed contract and without a firm design.

Mr. Speaker, I’ve been greatly concerned about the project on many different levels since my election to this House in 2003. The process that allowed the last government to enter into the deal in the first place is one that I maintain was greatly flawed. The project made some sense when it was a 50 to 60 million dollar project that would be self-financing. However, when the project went to $160 million it was no longer self-financing. It defied any logic why the government would continue to pursue the project when the updated cost benefit analysis would indicate the project would have a $53 million negative impact.

Mr. Speaker, let me be clear. The alarm bells were going off on this project and so-called partnership many years ago. The sad thing is, Mr. Speaker, not everybody was listening. This project has had problems from the very beginning and we can sit here and blame the last government, but this government’s been on the watch here for the last two and a half years and has to answer to that as well.

The question for government today is how to go forward with any confidence that this latest $15 million to be thrown at this bridge will be it. Residents want to know what this bridge will ultimately cost. Now the government is telling Members and residents its $182 million. Personally, Mr. Speaker, I don’t believe that it will be the final number. My guess is this project will cost close to $200 million by the time all is said and done and this, Mr. Speaker, is a complete and utter disaster of a project.

Mr. Speaker, the darkest days may yet be upon us as we continue to look at this project in this complete and utter boondoggle that the Deh Cho Bridge Project has become. Mahsi.