Michael McLeod

Mr. Speaker, I am not one to discourage good ideas coming forward. I mentioned before that we would be willing to look at any unsolicited proposal. If it makes sense, if it is viable, if there is a way that we can identify the resources to do it or whatever that means may be, I would be glad to do an evaluation on it, having our people see if it is something that is doable, have the discussion with the other Members and talk to my colleagues about the potential of projects such as this. I don’t know where else I can go with it or what else I can commit. The Member has asked for something that...

The Deh Cho Bridge Act was brought forward as a result of many years of discussions and a very detailed proposal. If the Member would want to bring a proposal for us to consider, we would be pleased to take a look at it. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I am assuming we are talking about service 177 still. The final cost we are anticipating is going to be around $18 million for this project.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I’d have to ask the Member to repeat the question. I apologize.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Yellowknife South, that Bill 13, An Act to Amend the Commissioner’s Land Act, be read for the second time.

Mr. Speaker, this bill includes amendments that would provide the Residential Tenancy Act does not apply to Commissioner’s land under a lease authorized under the Commissioner’s Land Act, designate the Minister or a person authorized by the Minister as the person responsible for initiating court proceedings regarding wrongful or unlawful use, possession or occupation of Commissioner’s land, limit the...

Mr. Speaker, I am not sure the Member is making the assumption that we don’t support local contractors. We provide a lot of contracts to companies that indicate their interest. Failing any indication that we have come to our attention, those contracts are put to public tender. We have a process. It has been signed off. There has been extension to a Memorandum of Understanding. The information goes to the tribal council and that is dispersed. If there is somebody that has slipped through the cracks, I would be glad to hear about it. But I have not heard of the company that he is talking about...

Mr. Speaker, the government has an MOU with the Gwich’in and the MOU process clearly outlines some of the requirements. Our contracts and tenders are to be viewed and supplied to the Gwich’in government. That in return is supplied to all their different contractors. Mr. Speaker, if there is no tender request for negotiations, then the contract is tendered publicly, and in this case I am assuming that is the situation. I am not familiar with the actual document he is talking about. Thank you.

Again, I don’t know if there is going to be opportunity for me to do that. I am sure the Member has heard all the concerns from his leaders and his visits in his communities. He probably could package that up just as well and deliver it to us for consideration, Mr. Speaker. I would certainly be open to hearing anything that the community leaders want to bring to my attention.

I have heard from most of the community leaders over the last while. We have had opportunity to have some discussions around housing with some of the aboriginal governments, the Beaufort-Delta. The visit gave us a chance...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The new funding has not been decided upon, as we all know. The agreement has not been signed yet. We are anticipating that these new dollars will certainly assist us in the area of housing needs across the Territories. We would like to have something brought forward fairly quickly. I don’t believe that is going to give us an opportunity to meet with all regional leaders. Certainly we don’t have a budget to travel across the Territories and set those up. Our plan was to have our allocations based on some of the needs assessments that have been done, and have a discussion...

The Member is correct when he states we have to be creative when we look at the projects, and that is going to be the way forward, in my opinion.

There are a number of projects. There are a number of bridges that need to be built across the Territories, five fairly large ones in all told that we need to, at some point, address. Right now, the challenge is to find the financing. If there is a way to do the work and package it up so that it is attractive, affordable and viable, then certainly we would be willing to look at that and talk to my Cabinet colleagues and the federal government or...