Robert Hawkins

Would the Minister be able to describe the holdback scheme, how it’s applied to northern contractors and southern contractors, how it’s applied to projects in large communities such as Yellowknife, Inuvik, or Hay River, and furthermore, how would it be proscribed in a manner that it would be in Fort Good Hope or Wekweetì or Lutselk’e? Can you explain the dynamics of that situation?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Once again I want to take a moment to recognize our N.J. Macpherson students here. Ms. Bisaro is quite correct; it’s quite impressive, both their flash mob dancing as well as their behaviour here in the House. She’s quite correct that the way we’re seeing our students behave here today is so impressive, I agree with her that many people could learn quite a few things from the students. That said, this is the generation that is standing up to bullying and I thank them for that, because the line needs to be drawn and they’re certainly showing their support with their pink...

Thank you. And at the same time if he’d provide the breakdown of the pricing information, he doesn’t have to read it here today, but if he could attach that information and I’ll look forward to him saying that he will do that.

At the same time, what does Public Works and Services do for fuel stabilization to avoid rate shock? What is the program or policy that we have? Do we build a bit of – I hate to use the word profit – but do we build a bit of a profit scheme into it to balance that out?

Is there any reason why we wouldn’t have a position noting the circumstance for an obvious dispute? That’s an easy one to say if there were disputes it may not be easy to fulfill, say within three weeks. Why wouldn’t the Government of the Northwest Territories have a policy to say that the general must pay a contractor within, say, 30 days of fulfilling their obligations met within the contract unless there is a dispute to ensure northern contractors get paid in a timely way?

Yes. Sorry. I ran out of time the last time and I think the deputy minister had offered some holdback information on contracts and I didn’t get a clear commitment that they would forward that to committee.

Would the Minister be willing to get me some information on how the application and some examples of both the bond and deposits are put on our capital works projects, as well as specifically break out northern versus southern contractors?

I’m hopeful this is the last question, probably as hopeful as you guys are. Does this also apply to, say, fuel, so our heating fuel? And the same question as the last one applies. If it does, maybe they could provide some clearer details if fuel is covered by this department. In other words, you pay all the bills and explain if there have been shortfalls over the last three years, and if there have been, how much money and where it has come from.

What is the typical deposit range asked for when someone cannot get a bonding, that is a southern contractor? Also, the same question, if they are a northern contractor what is the range?

…(inaudible)…

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Not much more. I think the Minister is seeing where I’ve been building the issue. When Public Works picked up responsibility and I couldn’t remember, so I’m glad he said it was three years ago. I do remember it was a few years ago. Was full financial responsibility transferred over, and so by way of means, was full resources transferred over or was there an expectation when FMB came up with this great reorg, or who’s now the money and who’s going to be responsible for it, did they transfer, what I’ll call, in a parallel manner? So our budgets were this much, so let’s move...