Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. It is with dismay and frustration that I stand before you today to say there is unfinished business with the Deh Cho Bridge. Yesterday I tabled, in the House, the Referee Claim Review, the interim and phase two reports of the Deh Cho Bridge between Rowe’s, ATCON and DOT. I would like to ask the Minister of Transportation a few questions about the referee report. Most particularly, the unfinished business is Rowe’s Construction. An NWT company was the only contractor not paid when this bridge was completed. I would like to ask the Minister about that, Mr. Speaker. Thank you.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. As my colleagues know, two of my favourite words in this Legislature are Highway 7. I cannot let the 17thAssembly draw to a close without saying them for the 150thtime. This time it’s a pleasure to say positive things about the work being done on the reconstruction of this highway, which is an important lifeline for the people of the communities I represent.

As I mentioned in March 2014, the renewed funding from the federal government under the new Build Canada Plan and the Department of Transportation’s Corridors for Canada III has allowed critical reconstruction work to continue. It was a beautiful summer in Nahendeh and nice, dry weather led to work great work on the highway. People were happy with the rehabilitation work done on Fort Liard Highway No. 7, which included grade repairs, surfacing, safety improvements, 20 of the 30 kilometres were chipsealed from the BC border to Fort Liard, and the dip at kilometre 169 was fixed and for the first time in years, the road ban was lifted in June.

I am pleased to see that reconstruction work is scheduled for the next four years in the Department of Transportation’s capital plan. I wanted to thank the Minister of Transportation and his department for the great work and look forward to reconstructing the rest in the years to come.

Premier McLeod and Minister Ramsay travelled with me on August 27thto Fort Liard. The conditions of the road were very good, but constituents were telling the Premier about it. In fact, he was chiding me and asking me what I was complaining about. All kidding aside, there’s much work yet to be done so that the travelling public and businesses can really enjoy the Deh Cho Trail, the road connection from the Alberta border all the way through to the BC border and then on to the Alaska Highway. Mahsi cho, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wish to table Referee Claim Review, Interim and Phase 2 Reports that relate to the Deh Cho Bridge contract between Rowe's Construction and ATCON Construction, initial general contractor for the project. The referee's reports review the issue of the non-payment of subcontractor funds on the Deh Cho Bridge contract. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you very much. That provides a little bit of clarity about how far they're progressing with the planning study.

Is it typical for the department to go to the communities to show them the type of floor plans and the layout that they have at these facilities? Thank you.

I'd like to thank the Minister for that answer. I'd just like to know, well, that's the current stage of the planning study, perhaps the Minister can explain how the planning study affects the capital planning process. The Fort Simpson Health Centre was slated for '17-18 but it's, like, five years further down the line. I'd like to ask the Minister, why has that been deferred so far down the line? Thank you.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Earlier I spoke about the much needed Fort Simpson replacement health centre. I'd like to ask the Minister of Public Works a few questions on the planning study and, as a result, the capital planning process as well.

I'd just like to ask the Minister, what stage is the planning study at currently?

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I'd like to recognize Jasmine Hardisty, my constituency assistant from Fort Simpson who is chaperoning the Fort Simpson Pages this week. Welcome to the gallery.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Myself and residents of Fort Simpson are looking forward to the completion of the planning study for the replacement of the Fort Simpson Health Centre. During this session, while we deliberated the capital plans, I was very disappointed to see the project on the books seven years from now during the budget of 2022-2023.

This is a 40-year-old building that needs to be replaced sooner than later. A new facility will improve the quality of health care delivery to Fort Simpson and region. With a new building and new modern health equipment, we can deliver better services.

The health centre was red flagged for the past two years, meaning that the facility was to be built at the next opportunity. It was our own engineers who recommended a replacement due to its age and increasing maintenance costs, so we all are on the same page. We all believed in the importance of replacing this facility. Why is this facility now moved seven years into the future?

I'll be asking the Minister of Public Works and Services questions at the appropriate time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Certainly, I can say unequivocally on behalf of the residents of Fort Liard and Nahanni Butte that they’re not choosing to go there. It’s just that over time they’ve developed trust issues about service of health delivery with our own system. But aside from that, if we can develop this base, the residents have a working relationship already. I’m just asking our government, let’s formalize this, let’s work a way around it, let’s continue supporting our residents getting the proper health and close to home delivery of health care that they can.