David Krutko

Mr. Speaker, yes, there is an MOU that used to work and which we find out today it doesn’t work. Also, in regards to the issues that I mentioned, this government has put forward a $100 million negotiating contract in Inuvik. Every negotiating contract has to be brought forward to Cabinet with a list of sub-contractors that are going to be used on that job site. There are companies working in Inuvik right now who weren’t on that original list. Again, that is a breach of our policies in government. In regards to the deal and in regards to Discovery Air deal, the $33 million deal, the government...

Mr. Speaker, as I noted in my statement that there was a meeting earlier today between the president of the Gwich’in Tribal Council and a couple of the leaders in Inuvik and also in Fort McPherson. Mr. Speaker, in my statement, I have never been so frustrated as I am today realizing that the Gwich’in people that I represent and the claim that I helped negotiate some 17 years ago, I hoped was really going to make a difference but yet, Mr. Speaker, it seems pretty obvious to me that this government is undermining everything that the Gwich’in Tribal Council has worked for for the last 17 years by...

Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.

---Unanimous consent granted

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In regard to the $80 million purchase, what is ATCO purchasing? Are they purchasing the assets of the Northwest Territories Power Corporation or are they purchasing the future potential that the power corporation has, some 15,000 megawatts of hydro power, the potential in regard to hydro, or the potential to win the potential for biomass? What are they buying into for $80 million?

I like to hear that from the Premier. I had a discussion with the president of the Dene Development Corporation who is the partner of Northland Utilities which is a partner of ATCO in which they have had not one phone call. They have been trying to get in contact with Nancy Sutherland, president of ATCO Frontec, with no response back by way of wondering what the arrangement is with their deal. They have a deal with ATCO in regard to their partnership to distribute power in the Northwest Territories, Hay River, Yellowknife, Providence, and other communities in the Northwest Territories. There’s...

Mr. Speaker, I don’t know if there is going to be any reprimand to this but I think that there should be some consequences to those types of statements, especially when it does have a direct implication on that decision which caused grief at the top level and could have been avoided. If anything, we have to work together going forward. I’d like to ask the Minister, can he get back to me on exactly what the outcome of the discussions are with those individuals? Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, my question is directed to the Minister of Public Works and Services in regard to a comment that was made in regard to one of the community leaders in which the staffer in Inuvik made reference: well, we don’t like negotiated contracts, it takes too long, so basically that’s not the process we like to follow. I’d like to ask the Minister who makes the decision on a negotiated contract. Is it someone in the field or is it Cabinet?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I believe one of the key areas of contention is the area around the office building in Inuvik. Again, there was a person in the field who basically made reference that they don’t want to get into a negotiated contract in regards to that office building. They are going to go public tender and it was said verbally to one of the community leaders. There was a meeting between the Premier and the Gwich’in Tribal Council leadership. There was a verbal understanding that the Gwich’in were going to negotiate that facility by way of a negotiated contract but yet, now we are...

Mr. Speaker, again, as a government, why is this government having to take the position where groups have actually had to take this government to court to get their attention? Don’t you think it is easier if we can sit down, talk through our differences and if it comes to that, bring in an arbitrator? If we can’t get to that, go to family counselling because I think you definitely need it. Mr. Speaker, the Premier represents the Inuvik region where the Gwich’in Tribal Council is. You’d think, if anything, as the Premier and in his riding, that he would be consulting with the Gwich’in Tribal...

Mr. Speaker, to top it off, the Discovery Air deal, which the Gwich’in had some $15 million invested in, this company is now being told, sorry, you are no longer in the business. You might as well go contract with someone else because you’re not wanted because this government bailed the company out to the point where they have already had sound financing.

Mr. Speaker, when it’s an aboriginal organization taking this government to court because of fundamental rights that are in their land claim agreements, this government either has to wake up and smell the coffee or try to find a way to sit...