N.W.T. MLAs pepper premier with more Deh Cho Bridge questions
A new session of the Northwest Territories legislature began Wednesday with more questions for Premier Floyd Roland over the Deh Cho Bridge Corporation project.
Regular, or non-cabinet, MLAs said their concerns about costs, benefits and financing of the $160-million bridge were not answered during the last session in November.
"Never once has an opportunity been given back to the members to confirm that they actually support this project, in a public government," Hay River South MLA Jane Groenewegen said during question period.
Politicians and officials broke ground last summer on the kilometre-long span over the Mackenzie River at Fort Providence, N.W.T. The bridge would give a year-round road link between much of the territory and southern Canada.
Groenewegen and other regular MLAs have asked Roland, and previous premier Joe Handley, for the government's cost-benefit analysis of the project.
They have also asked to see a concession agreement that the government signed with the Deh Cho Bridge Corporation last fall, on the waning days of Handley's administration. That agreement spelled out the government's committments to underwrite the project.
Roland agreed Wednesday to give MLAs the requested information during this session, as long as it's not made public.
He also addressed MLAs' questions about concerns federal Auditor General Sheila Fraser has raised about the territorial government's $9-million loan guarantee for the bridge.
"The loan guarantee in this amount has been looked at and requested information, and we're working with her office to provide that information," Roland said.
Interim budget coming Thursday
Meanwhile, the territory's financial picture is expected to be revealed Thursday, when Roland presents a financial update and interim budget.
Roland, who is also finance minister, plans to present an interim budget covering the first three months of the new fiscal year. A full budget is scheduled to be presented in May or June.
Last month, he warned ministers to cut a total of $135 million from departmental operating budgets over the next two years, in order to redirect that money to the territory's debt and capital priorities.