Wally Schumann

Mr. Speaker, I wish to table the following document entitled "Follow-up Letter to Oral Question 751-18(3): Former Northern Frontier Visitors' Centre." Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Northwest Territories Manufactured Products Policy and the Business Incentive Policy follow the same principles of northern preference. However, our Manufactured Products Policy is an independent process and works slightly different. In order to be able to be purchased by the Government of the Northwest Territories under the manufactured policy, at least 25 percent of the product's value has to be created in the Northwest Territories by an eligible company registered under the Business Incentive Policy. Provided this requirement is met, the product can be priced up to 20 percent higher on...

I will take this question as notice.

As I said in the House the other day, the most important element for Members to understand is the context of what the Canada Free Trade Agreement is. As the Minister of internal trade and external trade, these things have to be negotiated with other governments when we are signing this agreement, and that is the only reason that this government can negotiate an exemption. That is where we have to deal with the other provinces and countries when we are doing these agreements, and that one exemption that we fight for all the time is the Business Incentive Policy.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. You see, this is what happens when someone gives a heads-up and you give a full-hearted answer. There is no cap or ceiling identified in the Northwest Territories Manufactured Products Policy. The Northwest Territories manufactured products, however, is pursuant to or enabled by the Business Incentive Policy, and that means, technically, the ceiling of $500,000 would also apply to manufacturing.

That said, our manufacturing policy only pertains to goods for the maximum bid adjustment of $500,000 to apply. We would need to be in the position of buying $16 million worth of...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This is one of the Member's favourite discussions that he is having on the floor of the House. To be honest with you, I can't even answer his question. If he would actually give someone a heads-up on a question, I might be able to answer it fully on the floor of this House, but the question that he is asking me right now, I have no idea. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

When a contract is awarded saying that it has these conditions tied to it, the department follows up on the reporting from the contractor on the person that is doing the tender, and we track those things on a regular basis.

As I have said and I have said it a number of times in the House, I believe BIP also is the best policy the Government of the Northwest Territories has done around economic opportunities to protect residents and businesses in the Northwest Territories, but that is not something that I can have a look at here in the remaining days of this government. We actually only have two weeks left. If that is a priority brought forward by the next 19 Members of this Legislative Assembly, the Minister of ITI will certainly have to have a look at it. That is a discussion to take place in the 19th. Thank you...

For the last three years that I have had this file, I have very limited conversation with industry around the BIP policy, as I said. In particular in the Member's riding, I cannot recall any of the major contractors in his region reaching out to me and having a discussion about it.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I, too, would like to recognize Robert Bouchard. He used to live in Hay River North; now he moved to the good side of town, Hay River South; and deputy mayor. Welcome to the House, Robert.