Floyd Roland

Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Mackenzie Delta, that Bill 9, Write-off of Assets and Debts Act, 2004-2005, be read for the third time. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, all I can say to that is we had worked with those that responded to the RFP and there were no other responses that came to Public Works and Services through this RFP process. So we worked with those that responded and went with the best option that we felt was there, and then, as that work was done, passed on to Justice for their look at it and there was agreement that this was the way to go. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I guess just to set the record straight; from our discussions with the Department of Justice and the Legal Services Board, they are happy with the location that this new contract puts in place. It is a five-year lease, with options to renew. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we do have policies on whether we go RFP, sole source, negotiated contract or public tender, and I disagree with the Member that this was wrong. We went out for an RFP, a public process. We went out to the public and asked for input. We received some input. For one reason or another that didn’t fit the guidelines out there, but they were close enough. We sat down, used the same companies, had discussions about adequate space, and went forward with the one we felt was best at the time. I will provide a copy of the policies to the Member for the guidelines...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’m glad the Members feel that this is an important service, and that’s why we’ve gone out to set up another office so that all members affected, whether it’s a family separating, can seek service and get that right now that was a difficult thing to offer. Lawyers in one office could not work for both clients if it came to a family separation. We, as a government, recognized that, established the money to develop this space and created a second office. From the information I’m provided, we are not going to reduce the level of service. We are going to increase the level...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I don’t have the exact information that the Member wants right now on how many spaces we’ve sole sourced. Sole sourcing is done by the government from time to time, looking at the criteria involved. I can work at getting that information together and providing it to the Member, if that’s what he’d like. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Where applicable we will look at coming forward with some options to my Cabinet colleagues. Once we’ve had that discussion, we can share it with Members of this Assembly. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the decision made on forming the TSC was done with consideration of what departments and capacity we had within government, pulling the resources together and ensuring we created an environment where things would move along in a positive way. We have determined that this move was the right move, and to go back now to look at making it mandatory is something that we can look at doing. So I could go back to my Cabinet colleagues for further discussion on this that, in fact, we make it mandatory on other groups. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yes, I would be prepared to put a briefing note together for Members of this House. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the proponents that responded to the RFP were contacted to see if they could provide a suitable location that was requested by the Legal Services Board. So they were contacted and we were informed that they did not have the adequate space or suitable space as was being requested. Thank you.