Tom Beaulieu

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. We are currently working on the second bundle, which includes some work that wasn’t on our highways but is some access road money. So that second bundle is something that we are currently putting together. We’re trying to put the bundles together that are just under $100 million. Of course, there will be a third bundle, as well, which is going to be mostly bridges, then there will be a fourth bundle, which is the completion of this current bundle, the first bundle.

Thank you, Madam Chair. To my immediate right is the deputy Minister of Public Works and Services, Paul Guy. To my immediate left is director of corporate services, Steve Lewis, and to my far right, director, Technology Service Centre, Laurie Gault.

That item is, again, up for renewal and we are working with the community. My understanding is that there is going to be a new building and we have agreed that we would be moving into the new building.

Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Kam Lake, that Bill 49, An Act to Amend the Deh Cho Bridge Act, be read for the first time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

We would be pleased to provide that information to the Member.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. We will look at ways to increase the local content in our contracts in those three communities that the Member represents. There are some as and when contracts as well. We’d look at trying to get as much local involvement as possible. We’re not sure about the geographical restricted tendering process. We have some MOUs in place as larger government with the Gwich’in, and so in addition to that maybe we may not want to do the geographical restricting on the contracts because it also benefits the government to have as much of the as and when’s and the smaller contracts...

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I just want to give a few comments on each of these areas and I’ll have the deputy minister provide some detail.

The procurement shared services from the government’s perspective is something that is very positive. We consider it to be very positive for industry as well. It does consolidate the contracting, tendering and so on. We have offices now in the various locations across the North that handle the procurement services for all of government and all the departments, plus the NWT Housing Corporation. We feel that it’s going to improve the quality of our contracting...

We are not lowering the bar. That’s not what we’re doing. We have an obligation to continue to be in the business of constructing public infrastructure for the Government of the Northwest Territories. What we are saying is that if – I am going to repeat myself – if we were to put in a rule today that eliminates most of the contractors, it just would not be wise.

At the same time, we’re not dropping all the safety programs here. We are on site. We are saying individuals who have had safety plans, any large projects, any renovations, any opening of older buildings that we are expecting asbestos...

Yes, Mr. Chairman, I do.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Perhaps I could get some support in responding to that from the Premier.