R.J. Simpson

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, when I made my statement earlier, I was a little fired up, but I'm here to represent the people, Mr. Speaker, and the people are sick and tired of being ignored. They're exasperated, and so am I. The GNWT has failed to adequately use government procurement to grow and diversify our economy, build capacity, and employ Northerners. These are all priorities for this Assembly. They can be found in the mandate that we all agreed to, even the Minister. I'm not sure if our statements today convinced the Minister that there are issues with the practices of his...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the problems surrounding procurement have been raised numerous times by numerous Members of this House, yet, despite what we say, the Minister of Infrastructure insists that the GNWT has a top-notch procurement policy.

We have relayed our constituents' complaints about the policy to him on multiple occasions, but he continually insists that, aside from one or two people, no one has issues with it. The implication is that we're "fake news," Mr. Speaker, but we're not making this up. I've had half a dozen business owners and representatives in my office in Hay...

Thank you, Mr. Testart. There is a motion to report progress. The motion is in order and non-debatable. All those in favour? All those opposed? The motion is carried.

---Carried

I will rise and report progress.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'm just going to forgo the rest of my questions. I know the Minister can't offer opinions, but, you know what, it's the government, maybe there's a policy about it. What would it take for the department to realize that there is a problem? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

People always say to me, "We voted for change. What happened?" I'm tired of saying, "We're working on it." I'm starting to say, "Let's wait another year and a half," because answers like this are ridiculous. Mr. Speaker, I mention the disrespect shown to small businesses by the government. I've seen some of the correspondence sent by the representatives of the GNWT to businesses regarding procurement, and I've heard stories from business owners. Businesses are treated like children and subordinates. The government acts like business exists to serve them, not the other way around. So will this...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I want to recognize a couple of the Pages from Hay River North who have been here with us this week, Ms. Madison Beck and Mr. Ricther Ignacio. Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, your committee has been considering Minister's Statement 1-18(3), North Slave Correctional Complex Inmate Concerns; Minister's Statement 19-18(3), Aurora College Foundational Review Process; and Tabled Document 63-18(3), Main Estimates 2018-2019. I would like to report progress. Mr. Speaker, I move that the report of the Committee of the Whole be concurred with.

I will now call Committee of the Whole to order. What is the wish of committee? Mr. Testart.

My questions are focused on solutions, but it looks like I'm not going to get any. Having procurement training workshops, teaching these same tactics that are the problem, is not going to solve anything. The question was about customer service, not about more of the same. Will the Minister commit to reviewing the practices of his department regarding procurement to identify and fix the areas that are currently restricting small businesses from effectively competing on RFPs?

Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu. There is a motion to report progress. The motion is in order and non-debatable. All those in favour? All those opposed? The motion is carried.

---Carried

I will rise and report progress.