Michael Miltenberger

We’re just going to check the file here. I think it’s July 4, 2008.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I have to refer that question to Mr. Neudorf.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. If it’s within the money and follows the process, then the department proceeds apace to award the award contracts.

We will of course commit to following the policies and procedures that are going to maximize northern business and employment opportunities. As the contract proceeds, that information will become available, and that will be the evidence that we’d be supplying to the Member, keeping in mind, of course, that the main contractor is a northern owned business with a majority ownership by Inuvialuit as a starting point. We will follow through, as the Member has asked.

Mr. Chairman, the general rule, of course, for the Government of the Northwest Territories is to support and use local resources, to purchase locally as much as we can and use the local services.

If the Member has specific examples or projects or contracts that could be looked at, we would be better able to speak to that in more detail, but clearly, we have a general interest, as does the Member, to make sure that much of that money that we have is spent in and stays in the North.

Mr. Chairman, all the appropriate policies and procedures have been followed. We are in the process of a negotiated contract process with Dowland, which is majority owned by the Inuvialuit. Once this appropriation is approved, hopefully, by this Legislature, then we will be moving forward to finalize the details. The issue of maximizing northern businesses and employment for Northerners in the contract will be clearly dealt with as well as part of that process moving forward. The initial step first, now, is to conclude the discussions here in this Legislature.

I have with me Ms. Melhorn, deputy minister of Finance and FMB, Mr. Michael Aumond, deputy minister of Public Works and Services, and Mr. Russ Neudorf, deputy minister of Transportation.

Not at this point.

Mr. Speaker, I give notice that on Monday, October 20, 2008, I will move that Bill 21, Appropriation Act (Infrastructure Expenditures) 2009–2010, be read for the first time. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. These letters are considered a very important part of the process. In the case of the schools in Inuvik there are letters of support from the Gwich’in, the Inuvialuit and all the communities, as well as all the affected MLAs. They are an important part of the process.