Statements in Debates
Mr. Speaker, the policy to hold back a percentage of the contract is something that’s right across the government in all our contract practices. That’s to ensure that we have a product that’s free of deficiencies prior to releasing all funds. Thank you.
The EIRB process is something that’s outside of our jurisdiction at this point. We don’t control the process, however, we hope that the final reports or approvals for the Tuk-Inuvik section of the highway will be ready sometime next summer.
We have been talking with the Yellowknives Dene since 2007 and I’ve indicated to the Member that the schedule is for the construction to start in 2011 and open to traffic in 2012, with the final surface completion in 2013.
I don’t believe there’s a snag in the process. This is part of due course. We are working towards reducing the options to one that will be accepted by all parties. There is, right now, a variance of opinion, of course, on the three routes. The Member has stated his arguments for his preference, however, the responses that we’re getting are fairly even. We’re getting about 30 percent on every option in front of us. There are more meetings that need to be conducted and we need to start doing the engineering and work on the route that’s going to be selected and start construction in due course...
Mr. Speaker, the Local Government Administrators of the Northwest Territories, or LGANT, held their 2010 LGANT AGM and Professional Development Conference last week here in Yellowknife. Mr. Speaker, the mission of LGANT is to strive for and promote excellence and professionalism in the field of local government administration through education and career development programs and to create awareness of a community officer’s role in the community.
Through their Words for Excellence Program, Susan Christie, the SAO of the Hamlet of Fort Providence, has been awarded the Outstanding Local Government...
Mr. Speaker, I’m saying that once we’re comfortable that all the companies and all the communities will have the same abilities through this program, we will provide further consideration.
I apologize if it was confusing to the Member. I’ll try to speak a little slower.
Mr. Speaker, I’ve already stated that we have not, as a government, endorsed the COR program to be part of our contracting. The NWT Construction Association is going to consult with the industry and they will talk to their members. We are not moving forward and incorporating it in our contracts. Thank you.
I think it would be pretty evident that as soon as the deficiencies are dealt with and we’re comfortable that all is well, we usually do our best to get the holdback released. Thank you.
The holdbacks are usually released upon the deficiencies being dealt with. Thank you.
A big challenge, the biggest challenge, and will continue to be the biggest challenge, will be to secure appropriate funding to continue the work on the road once all the approvals are in place. We would expect that as soon as we hear positive response, we would, of course, move forward and try to secure those dollars to do further work. We would also have to start the process to develop more detailed road design. While I can’t commit to any dollars for the life of this government, I would expect that those issues will be brought forward and will continue to take precedence. The work would...