Deh Cho

Statements in Debates

Debates of , 16th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 11)

Mr. Speaker, I need more clarity on which project he’s referring to. We haven't awarded any contracts for bundled water plants as of yet.

Debates of , 16th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 11)

Mr. Speaker, the answer to that question, of course, is no, we’re not sole-sourcing.

Debates of , 16th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 11)

Mr. Speaker, the contract hasn’t been awarded. There is a fairness process that was put in place as part of this request for proposals, and we have an independent evaluation team, along with an independent evaluator, that is ensuring a fair process is there. We have provided all the information to all the proponents who took part. We have the Department of Justice, and we have three other departments that are working with us. The process is fair, Mr. Speaker.

However, the contract hasn’t been awarded, and it is difficult to speak to this issue.

Debates of , 16th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 11)

Mr. Speaker, I’ll have to inform the Member again that he’s not correct in assuming that the water plant contract has been awarded. Negotiations are still ongoing. There has been a company that has responded to our request for proposals that has contracted with us prior to this and along the same lines as what we have through our requests for proposals in dealing with water plants.

Debates of , 16th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 11)

Mr. Speaker, it’s difficult to understand what the Member is asking.

This process that was undertaken was approved by cabinet. It was also presented to the Association of Municipalities, and we got a letter of support from every community involved. I think there has been a lot of awareness and a lot of support for the process that we've embarked on to try to get these water plants in the communities.

Debates of , 16th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 11)

I’m trying to get on with it. We are quite excited about this new concept of bundling projects. We think we have to be creative and innovative as we move forward with some of our challenges facing some of our communities in terms of providing infrastructure. Designing, implementing, operating and all those things are some things that are challenging every community in terms of capacity and getting these projects underway.

This is a new way of doing business. I can understand some Members being concerned. However, negotiations are ongoing. The project hasn’t been signed off yet; we haven’t made...

Debates of , 16th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 11)

Mr. Speaker, we made a commitment to the Members, we made a commitment to the community leaders, and we made a commitment to the Members of this House.

Our process, we’re very confident, is fair. Our process has the equivalent of a fairness commissioner. We have a review team and an independent evaluator. I think we’ve taken all the precautions we need to take and even gone further because of so many concerns raised. We include the Department of Justice; we include the Department of Health; we include the people from FMB, MACA, Public Works. So I’m very confident that there is a very fair...

Debates of , 16th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 11)

Mr. Speaker, I’m not sure what the Member is asking me. I’m not clear on the question. All I can say is that this process has a number of checks and balances put in place so we ensure that there’s fairness and so that we can explain the fairness.

Obviously, the Member has been contacted by one of the proponents. We have not even debriefed any of the companies yet. I would ask that the process continue to move forward, that we talk to the company who has obviously contacted the Member and show where maybe the proposal was not quite up to what was expected or where he could improve, or whatever...

Debates of , 16th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 11)

Mr. Speaker, I guess we have to give a two-part answer to that. If things don’t pan out the way we anticipated or if we don’t have a positive outcome in the final stages of our request for proposals, we may have to go back to the drawing board. But if everything goes well and it ends up that a contract is awarded, we’ll have that proceed this summer.

Debates of , 16th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 11)

Mr. Speaker, it’s not a matter of coming around to discuss and provide information. This contract procurement is still in the process. I’m very reluctant to speak to something that has ongoing negotiations.

We’ve done exactly as the Member suggested: we have hired an outside party to ensure that fairness of procedure and practice is followed. I would be glad to offer that to the Member once the contract is awarded, to provide a full briefing so that he can see how this contract unfolded and how it was evaluated. We have a process where I have to respond and go to my cabinet colleagues before...