Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today I’d like to continue trying to make some sense of the mess that is the Deh Cho Bridge Project. It was interesting to hear the Transportation Minister state in a media interview on Friday with CBC that finally the government admits in some fashion that it went ahead with the project despite a cost-benefit analysis that clearly indicated that the government could expect a $53 million negative benefit from the bridge at $165 million. Throw in at least another $15 million and you have a project that will have a negative cost to this government and Territory of $70 million. Not to mention that we are spending this nearly $200 million on a bridge that will undoubtedly increase the cost of living in Yellowknife, Ndilo, Dettah, the Tlicho communities, and every other community serviced by air from Yellowknife.
There are many more questions about this project that have to be asked. Right now the project is almost half done. Up until this week or late last week the Minister and government gave us every assurance that the new design would save money and be less expensive to construct.
During a briefing last week I just about fell off my chair when the Minister said they’re negotiating the deal with what amounts to be one company. Mr. Speaker, I don’t understand for one second why we would not go to tender on the remaining work. Does the Minister not understand that the contractor we’re negotiating with has the government squarely over a barrel? Does the Minister and government not owe it to the people of the Northwest Territories and Members of this House to get the best price that they possibly can for the remainder of this work?
Mr. Speaker, our pants are on the ground and we sure look like a bunch of fools, that’s for sure. Haven’t we been taken advantage of enough, Mr. Speaker? Mr. Speaker, we are being asked to approve $15 million more for this project when there’s not been a full accounting of where the dollars have gone, where and how much is charged and to who, and exactly where is the design in all of this. How can you negotiate a sole-source deal without a firm design? If we sign a deal without the completion of this design, aren’t we just setting ourselves up to potential changes and cost overruns? Mr. Speaker, I’ll have questions for the Minister of Transportation at the appropriate time. Thank you.