David Ramsay

The details are still being worked out. We hope to have the negotiation concluded by the end of this month and construction would start shortly thereafter.

Again, and I will reiterate this, we are looking at Det’on Cho and the number of companies that they will be bringing in partnership on the construction of this realignment project. Those companies are northern and they will be northern. We have yet to see a finalized negotiated agreement. We will be getting that shortly and make an announcement after that.

The message moving forward is future highway contracts in the Yellowknife area are intended to be tendered.

I can assure the Member that I have had those discussions with both my deputy ministers both in Transportation and at ITI. For me we’re going to have to see how that fits into the government-wide initiative when it comes to decentralization and where our resources are based. We will get to that work.

In the Premier’s response to Mrs. Groenewegen, that work is going to start. We’re going to take a look at some of the decentralization and positions that may in fact find their way into the regional centres. Certainly in the case of the Sahtu, that would figure into that mix.

Again, it’s a process that has only just begun. As far as the timeline goes, I wouldn’t want to take a guess at that, but sooner rather than later.

Mr. Speaker, the negotiations will be concluded here shortly, but certainly the Det’on Cho proposal will include a wide variety of local and northern businesses that will help Det’on Cho as they work to construct the realignment of Highway No. 4. They also will need some support in the areas of administration and management and other areas, and we look forward to seeing a finalized negotiation with Det’on Cho that will include that wide array of northern businesses that will help Det’on Cho achieve the work that’s there.

Mr. Speaker, on an annual basis, 80 percent of all contracts that the Department of Transportation has are tendered. Twenty percent would be negotiated. If the Member wants detail in the past year, I can provide that for him. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wish to table the following document, titled “Northwest Territories Marketing Plan, 2012-2013.” Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I know we do work with the Department of Health and Social Services, the Department of ECE, and to the specifics of whether we’re working with the rec associations around the Northwest Territories, again, I think if we’re going to have continued success in delivering safety, it is important that we work with partners around the Northwest Territories. I again will commit to getting back to the Member on how we have interacted with those organizations.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. That’s a great idea and that’s how ideas are born. I think we need to be looking to Regular Members to supply us with ideas on how we can enhance public education and awareness when it comes to safety on the water, on our roads, on our trails. Certainly as we move forward, we’ll be looking for partners to help us deliver that safety message. I appreciate the Member’s comments.

We are in the process of putting together another plan that will just lead again to stressing the importance of our transportation infrastructure here in the Northwest Territories and how we can avail ourselves of some substantial capital dollars to carry out the work that is required there. So I think the Member can look forward to us continuing to pursue that. Thank you.