Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Premier has already outlined the scrutiny that this project has been under since inception. This motion that has been put forward by the Member is really a call for what already occurs. The Auditor General already conducts an audit of the Deh Cho Bridge Project through the consolidated financial statements. We as a department, as well as other departments, cooperate fully with the Office of the Auditor General as they perform this audit. In the past year we’ve already provided reports and other information requested by their office and will continue to do so.

I think it’s pretty clear in the last couple of days that our focus has been on moving forward with the completion of this project, the Deh Cho Bridge Project. I’m a little concerned that it would not be very helpful to impede some of the good work by initiating an audit midstream. These reviews, audits of this type, are usually done at the end of a project to ensure that all decisions that have gone into a project are taken fully and considered.

I’ve already made commitments in this House to do a thorough review of this project when it is completed. Of course I would certainly support further review by the Auditor General, if the Auditor General thinks it’s appropriate. However, she makes her own decisions to that end and decides which projects and programs warrant further scrutiny. The question is not whether or not there should be a performance audit by the Auditor General but rather when that audit should occur. Should it be now or should it be at the usual time when projects are at their completion? Having said that, we would welcome any opportunity to demonstrate how we as a government have been working at this and managed this project and made decisions related to this project.

I do want to point out, however, that I’m a little concerned that there is some suggestion by the wording of this motion as to all employees and officials actively cooperating. It almost implies wrongdoing by our department officials. I take offence to that. I think if that’s the intent, then we need to have some evidence to that front. Maybe the wording should be changed. I don’t think that’s very appropriate to say that we almost suggest that we would not cooperate. That is something we would do and have done in the past. I think the staff, our staff that work very hard, would take some offence to that and I certainly do.