Bob Bromley

Mr. Speaker, there have been serious concerns raised to me by my constituents about contracting by MACA. I’d like to, without being specific to the project or anything — although it may be, theoretically — explore the policy of the department.

Let’s see. How to put this? Taking as an example a bundled water treatment call for proposal — a very large contract, obviously — does MACA have a policy to support Northern contractors over southern contractors when the Northern contract bid is competitive or the low bid and they have a proven track record? Of course, their Northern residency would be...

No further supplementaries.

Mr. Speaker, you know, I wish we were talking about a $40 million, $60 million or $80 million project here, but we’re not even talking about a $160 million project. The latest is $240 million, what our final costs will be, and those are without any of the liabilities that we are likely to experience.

Mr. Speaker, all Members of this House have been elected by the people, and to me that means the people of the Northwest Territories have invested their trust in me as their representative, and I think that’s true for every Member in this House.

Will the Premier start to trust the Members of this...

Mr. Speaker, continuing on with the feeding frenzy here because there's so much food in the water, because there are so many questions to be asked, I'd like to ask a question about the concession agreement. I've been one of the privileged few to have had the opportunity to see an embargoed copy of it as a Member of the Standing Committee on Economic Development and Infrastructure.

I understand from earlier questions today that the Premier, the Minister of Finance, will be signing the schedules that are attached to the concession agreement by the 22nd of this month. As to an attachment to the...

Mr. Speaker, thank you to the Minister.

Another question along those lines: before such a call for a proposal goes out and is decided, would the Minister’s department officials, when discussing such potential work with the communities that might be interested in it, typically refrain from identifying any one company as having the solution for the work to be done?

Mr. Speaker, I also want to highlight the volunteer sector. It seems to be the day on both sides of the House for volunteers, the people who work in community groups and agencies and the volunteers who give their time to keep our communities healthy, vibrant and safe.

The voluntary sector is a key component that will make this government’s preventative and fiscally responsible approach work. The voluntary sector includes community groups that provide services dealing with poverty, substance abuse, family violence, homelessness, art, youth justice and the environment. They work on prevention of...

Nothing further, thank you.

Mr. Speaker, I have just received a press release regarding the successful completion of fundraising by our N.W.T. Host Society for the Arctic Winter Games 2008.

This was no mean feat. Initially estimated at $2.6 million, the target was soon reviewed more realistically and re-established at $3.6 million. In the final outcome, including cash and gifts in kind and with a few surprise costs, a little over $4 million has been raised.

As an example of the cost surprises encountered, school washrooms were found unable to handle the shower requirements of 2,000 in-school residents. ATCO then stepped...

Again, the information that might help on this motion would be: Is there a system that’s up and running quite capably right now? Where are the efficiencies? Presumably, if you know where a fire is, you can get to it earlier before it gets large, put it out, and save a lot of dollars. We haven’t heard that sort of information. I’m just trying to think of things that would help me decide on this.

I see we have an expenditure plan for a lightning location system. At this time of fiscal restraint, I’m wondering if there is justification for that, what exactly it is, do we already have one in place, is this a replacement one, and what is to be gained by this?