Michael McLeod

Mr. Speaker, any time we work with a company or a company has been involved with some of the earlier stages, whether it’s a feasibility study or other studies, we ensure that the information that goes out is equal to all parties involved.

In this case, and in most cases, we will enlist the help of a fairness commissioner or somebody of equal stature. We also set up committees or independent bodies or hire independent evaluators to work with us. That usually gives comfort to everybody that this is a fair process.

Once again, I can certainly relate to the Member’s messages and some of his recommendations. We have had all the communities make those points and reaffirm those points on a number of occasions. We’ll do what we can. We are quite concerned about where we are with replacing water plants. This is a possible remedy to that, though. We’ll follow it up.

The policy that we follow and abide by is the Business Incentive Policy. In this case it was applied.

Mr. Speaker, we have been consulting with everybody involved. For a number of years now, the concept of vulnerable water, vulnerable projects and one contract was something we wanted to do. We’ve spoken with the Association of Communities; we’ve spoken with the local government administrators of the Northwest Territories; we’ve spoken with every community that’s involved in this proposal. We will continue to do so.

I by no means want to have the Members expect that I would speak to one before the other. If there is going to be a briefing on what has transpired here, I’ll offer it to all the...

I don’t think it’s fair for the Member to state that the stomach cancer is a direct result of our water. Our water’s been tested. The H. pylori virus is of concern, of course, but the treatment through the current facility deals with that. The medical officer has indicated that it’s not related to the water or the water plants.

Mr. Speaker, we do take water and water quality very seriously, and it’s a high priority. We’re doing everything we can to move that forward as fast as we can.

Mr. Speaker, the Member is asking as to the contract details, and I can’t provide that at this time.

The Member is right. There have been a number of challenges getting water taps put in, in a number — I think eight — of our communities. We looked at different ways to try to accommodate the communities by saving some costs or trying to have our projects fit within what we have in our budgets.

We wanted to look at a new process. And we’ve looked at a process which we refer to as the vertical integration of this project, which would include covering all aspects of delivering water plants, including the shipping, design, assembly, warranty and potentially even operating support.

It’s been a long...

Mr. Speaker, all the work that was done leading up to this contract, going to a request for proposals, was made available to all the proponents. In addition, we put in place a two-stage process to ensure due diligence. We had the use of an external party to chair the evaluation on both the request for qualifications and the request for proposals. That position would equate to what would be referred to as a fairness commissioner. Mr. Speaker, we also involved FMBS and Public Works, and we sought legal advice from the Department of Justice.

Mr. Speaker, this is a competitive procurement process that we have embarked on. The Member is asking questions for the details on the company that's bidding. At this time, I don't feel it’s appropriate to answer that.

I think the Member and all Members are aware we’re going under review at this time to see where we can place emphasis on new investments, new initiatives, and also going through analysis of where things can be reduced. It would be difficult for me to say at this point, until those processes are done, whether or not we’d be able to be in a position to put more investments into this area of volunteerism.