David Krutko

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I, too, would like to recognize Fred Carmichael, a Canada recipient and, more importantly, the president of the Gwich’in Tribal Council. Our presidents, they don’t fade away, we just keep making them work a little harder; that’s all after they leave office. And also Miki O’Kane, I would like to congratulate you also for the hard work you do in the Inuvik region and, more importantly, for the people in the Mackenzie Delta/Beaufort Sea. Also Margo McLeod in regards to the recommendation in regards to being inducted into the Education Hall of Fame. Mahsi and thank you for...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Over the last number of days I’ve received several phone calls and e-mails from local contractors in my riding who feel there is a total disadvantage regarding the contracting practices of this Government of the Northwest Territories. Especially the housing corporation when it comes to housing…(inaudible)…in local communities.

What I’m talking about are the advantages of large regional contractors to be able to supply, ship and erect contracts in the communities by way of having the purchase power, the means of moving the materials into the communities, and very little...

Mr. Speaker, I give notice that on Thursday, May 20, 2010, I will move the following motion: now therefore I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Sahtu, that the Legislative Assembly of the Northwest Territories calls on the Government of Canada to fully reinstate the funding previously provided to the Aboriginal Healing Foundation; and further, that the Speaker formally transmit this motion and the content of our proceedings today to the federal Minister of Indian and Northern Affairs for his consideration and action. Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, in regards to the contracting processes that I would like to ask the Minister, I know I mentioned negotiating contractors in my statement but also I have supported negotiating contracts for projects in McPherson and Aklavik which were submitted to the regional office which I gave to the Minister. It was supposed to go to Cabinet in April. I would like to ask the Minister what is the status of those contracts. Again, that is another avenue that has to be used but again we are not hearing anything back from Cabinet on that. I would like to get an update from the Minister. Why is...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions are in regards to my Member’s statement, but also this issue I have raised in the last setting of this Legislature but it looks like nothing has been done with it. Again, these contracts that are being let in our communities are not being taken advantage of by local contractors. If anything, it is benefitting the regional contractors who have an opportunity because the way the contracts are being let, which are basically supply, ship and erect contracts, are an advantage to the larger regional contractors in regards to having to bid in multiple contracts...

Again, in regard to the opportunities for communities to take advantage of these tendering processes but ensuring that the benefits are derived in the communities where these capital dollars are expended and the capital investment is being made.

Again, we have high pockets of unemployment in most of our smaller communities exceeding over 45 to 50 percent unemployment, not compared to 23 or 24 percent in the larger regional centres. I think this government has to seriously take a look at this issue, go back to the drawing board and take a look at your contracting policies and procedures and the...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. In regard to the Building Canada funds and the funds that we received from Ottawa, I noted that there are a lot of cost overruns associated with that program. I’d just like to know from the Minister exactly what are we doing to…because the issue I have a problem with, especially in this government, is that we have a new system and every time a community asks for assistance from this government, they’re saying, oh well, you get gas tax money so you should offset that cost from your gas tax money, and if the government is now saying, well, we’re not responsible, but yet I...

I just noted that there is the Inuvik Young Offender Facility. Is it $500,000. Could you just give us an illustration of what that $500,000 is for?

Mr. Chairman, in light of the situation we see in the different health boards around the Territory, I think that we have take hold of this situation because it is getting out of line by way of deficits and situations that we’re running. I think that, for the life of me, I don’t understand why it is that we continue to allow one health board to be operating independently of the rest of the system. Again, I’d like to ask the Minister, for $11 million, I think it’s better that we get on with it. Also, put everybody under one roof so that we can control the expenditures systems and not have one...

Again, with the Technology Service Centre, I would like to know if that project is on budget and are we going to hopefully not see any cost overruns. Could I get a price on that one?