Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’m going to speak today about the Auditor General’s report on the Deh Cho Bridge Project. I want to start by saying that I appreciate the time and effort that Ms. Sheila Fraser and her staff have provided on this audit.
The Auditor General’s report confirms clearly and concisely that the concerns I have repeatedly expressed the past seven years on the decision to proceed with the project and its subsequent management are legitimate and real. What becomes abundantly clear is this project, as it was sold to Members and the public as a P3 project, was not a P3 project and it was rushed into during
the dying days of the last government. Regulations were amended on Thursday, September 27
th
,
casting aside the requirement to give Members 14 days’ notice. Then on September 28
th
, on a Friday
afternoon, three days before the territorial election, which is clear evidence that the last government knew full well what it was doing. All in an effort, it would seem, to leave that lasting legacy. The disregard for due process and risk management prior to the signing of the concession agreement is truly disgusting.
Throughout my seven and a half years here I have questioned this project at every turn in an attempt to protect the taxpayers in our Territory. This project was questionable right from the very beginning. What is most important to me is accountability and responsibility for decisions regarding this project. Now that the project is clearly in the hands of this government, I will continue to ask questions about the management and the risks associated with the project.
I’m very concerned about this project because if we see significant delays in construction, this will undoubtedly lead to further costs and, quite frankly, we cannot afford much more than we have already paid for this project.
The government has always hid behind the facade that was the Deh Cho Bridge Corporation and it does not surprise me that they continue to be evasive when it comes to answering questions about the contract for $92 million with Ruskin. The Auditor General herself could not get a final figure for the amount spent to date because the external audit of the corporation’s financial statements was not finalized.
I’ve previously referred to this project as a boondoggle and I may have been too generous.
I’ll have questions for the Minister of Transportation at the appropriate time.