Mr. Miltenberger cited rule 23(k) and (m) of the Rules of the Legislative Assembly as well as the parliamentary convention of not making reference to persons who are not able to defend themselves in this Chamber.
The point of order was raised after Mr. Miltenberger’s review of the unedited Hansard pertaining to the Member from Yellowknife Centre’s statement and oral questions made in the House on Monday, February 18, 2008.
Mr. Miltenberger specifically referenced Mr. Hawkins’s comments regarding the community of Fort Smith as well as the tone of the comments and the use of what Mr. Miltenberger identified as inaccurate, sweeping generalizations. Mr. Miltenberger also objected to Mr. Hawkins’s reference to individuals not able to defend themselves in this Chamber.
I invited debate on the point of order, and Mr. Hawkins rose to clarify his comments, citing Beauchesne’s Parliamentary Rules and Forms regarding the tone and intent of Members’ comments. Mr. Hawkins also questioned whether the point of order had been raised at the earliest possible opportunity.
I reserved my decision to a later date, allowing for review of unedited Hansard and of the rules and authorities governing this Assembly.
To address Mr. Hawkins’s argument with regard to the timing of the point of order, I find the matter was raised by Mr. Miltenberger at the earliest opportunity. It is the practice of the House to allow Members an opportunity to review the unedited Hansard and raise a point of order regarding unparliamentary language at the commencement of the next day’s proceedings.
I will now address the practice regarding reference to individuals not present in the House. In reviewing Mr. Hawkins’s remarks in the unedited Hansard and considering the tone and intent of the Member, I find no evidence of intent to slander or slur, directly or indirectly, an individual not present in the House.
Mr. Hawkins stated: “I questioned the independence of a review conducted internally by a senior member embedded within an organization.” I accept Mr. Hawkins’s explanation that he was attempting to illustrate a point of argument. I find no point of order in this instance.
I will move now to the rules of the Legislative Assembly. Mr. Miltenberger cited rule 23(k) regarding the use of abusive or insulting language of a nature likely to create disorder, and rule 23(m) regarding introduction of a matter into debate that offends the practices and precedents of this Assembly.
Notwithstanding Mr. Miltenberger’s reference to the rules of the Assembly, I also took into consideration the language Mr. Hawkins used and referred to Marlowe and Monpetit, House of Commons Procedure and Practice. I quote from page 526:
“In dealing with unparliamentary language, the Speaker takes into account the tone, manner and intention of the Member speaking; the person to whom the words were directed; the degree of provocation; and, most importantly, whether or not the remarks created disorder in the Chamber. Thus, language deemed unparliamentary one day may not necessarily be deemed unparliamentary the following day.”
It is always difficult to evaluate the context or intent of words spoken by a Member. After careful review of Mr. Hawkins’s comments as set out in the unedited Hansard from February 18, 2008, as well as his remarks during debate on the point of order, I conclude that there was no point of order.
I would, however, like to take this opportunity to caution Members with regard to the statements they make in this House. While the particular statement or question may not strictly contravene our rules or constitute unparliamentary language, they often have other unintended consequences.
All Members of this House are protected by parliamentary privilege when they rise to speak. This is a fundamental right and immunity enjoyed by all parliamentarians in modern democracies. The onus is on each of us, individually, to exercise restraint with responsibility, wisdom and sensitivity to the impact our words may have on the people and communities that we all represent. Thank you, Members.
Mr. Speaker, I’m pleased to announce that nominations are being sought for the 2008 N.W.T. Outstanding Volunteer Awards. This program was developed in 1991 as a way to celebrate outstanding volunteers in the Northwest Territories and to highlight the importance of volunteers to Northwest Territories residents.
The Department of Municipal and Community Affairs, in partnership with Volunteer NWT, is pleased to support this important initiative and jointly invite all residents to nominate that special volunteer in their community.
Volunteers are the key building blocks of healthy communities and have a strong tradition in the North. A recent survey showed that more than half of Northwest Territories residents aged 15 and over take part in volunteer activity.
We need to take action to ensure the volunteer sector stays strong. We know that volunteer organizations in the North have had a hard time recruiting and retaining volunteers. With an aging population, that number of active volunteers is declining.
One way to promote volunteerism is to recognize and honour the efforts of those who contribute to our communities. There are four categories of individuals or groups that can be nominated. The four categories are for individual, elder, youth or group nominations. A single nomination form can be used for all categories. The form is available at all community government offices or through the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs.
Once the date for nominations is closed, a selection committee comprised of representatives from each region reviews them against a range of criteria. The winners will be announced at a special ceremony scheduled to be held during National Volunteer Week, which this year is the week of April 27 to May 3.
It’s amazing to see the quality of nominations the department historically receives for these awards. The individuals and groups nominated are from a wide range of backgrounds, and they all share a common trait: they are people who give their time and energy to communities to improve the quality of life for all residents.
People who volunteer are not looking for recognition. The nominees are pleasantly surprised when selected and usually say that there are many others who deserve to be recognized.
The N.W.T. Outstanding Volunteer Awards recognize these tireless community builders and encourage others to follow in their footsteps. Mahsi cho, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, on November 30, 2007, I announced the launch of the Department of Transportation’s safety awareness program, Drive Alive! This new program is intended to enhance ongoing safety awareness efforts to significantly reduce the number of collisions, injuries and fatalities on our roads, trails and waterways.
Mr. Speaker, safety is our top priority. We are deeply saddened when we hear of tragic accidents, especially those involving our youth. Accidents must be prevented. When a snowmobile, vehicle or boating accident injures or takes the life of one of our young people, it is devastating to everyone. Unfortunately, many of these tragedies could have been prevented by encouraging residents to make safer choices when moving around the Northwest Territories.
The department will be working with its Drive Alive! partners throughout the Territory and across all modes of transport to seek every opportunity to raise transportation safety awareness.
Mr. Speaker, the Department of Transportation’s web site now has a page for young people, providing them with resources and information to help them make safer choices. This initiative is aimed to reach out to young people in every community and to help encourage a more safety-minded future generation.
To help launch this new youth page, Drive Alive! is sponsoring a writing contest open to young people in the Northwest Territories from grades 4 through 8. Each entrant will be asked to write about what they can do to keep their families safe on our highways, trails, lakes, rivers and while venturing out on the Beaufort Sea.
We will be posting the winners from each grade level on our web site and in a future publication aimed at young people. Each winner’s school will receive $300 to help their school celebrate this achievement. The contest closes on April 30, and I will announce the winners on May 30.
Mr. Speaker, additional information on the Drive Alive! writing contest can be found on the department’s web site. I trust that all Members will encourage their young constituents to enter this contest.
Our youth are our future, Mr. Speaker. We must continue to encourage them to develop safe and healthy habits to reach their full potential. Mahsi cho.
Mr. Speaker, last week I met with my federal, provincial and territorial counterparts to discuss the upcoming review of the Youth Criminal Justice Act and the proposed amendments currently before Parliament. This federal law applies when a young person aged 12–17 is alleged to have committed a crime.
The act is intended to promote the long-term protection of society. It does this by addressing young offenders’ underlying issues that contribute to offending behaviour. It is intended to rehabilitate young persons and reintegrate them into society and provides meaningful consequences for their offences.
Although the act successfully manages the majority of youth in conflict with the law, there is growing concern in all parts of Canada that it is unable to address the needs of some violent youth and repeat youth offenders.
The federal government has announced that a full review of the act will begin this year. My colleagues and I agree that while we recognize that the act works appropriately for a majority of youth offenders, there is significant concern that makes a review both timely and necessary.
For some time provinces and territories have recommended changes to permit greater ability for courts to order pretrial detention. Specifically, we believe we need a new way to deal with youth who commit multiple non-violent offences, such as repeated snowmobile thefts.
My counterparts and I have been concerned that the federal government’s proposed amendments do not go far enough to allow out-of-control youth to be detained before their trials. Here in the Northwest Territories several community leaders have contacted me to say that the Youth Criminal Justice Act needs to be more flexible to meet the needs of all of our youth. It works well in most cases, but we need to be able to deal with out-of-control teenagers in a better way.
I am pleased that the federal government took the opportunity to hear from all jurisdictions on these important topics. They heard that the changes to the act that they have proposed in Bill C-25 missed the mark. The federal government has indicated that they may consider amendments to this bill to better respond to provincial and territorial concerns. They acknowledged the importance of partnerships in the delivery of youth justice and are listening to our priorities.
While the details of the review of the Youth Criminal Justice Act have yet to be announced, I am certain that last week’s early discussions will inform the federal government’s decisions on priorities and how to proceed.
I plan to remain actively engaged in this review as it moves forward so that the views and perspectives of the N.W.T. are well represented and any changes to the Youth Criminal Justice Act respond to the needs of our communities and our youth. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, I'd like to speak today about the reduction and reinvestment exercise currently being undertaken by the government.
The Premier has said that this is a new way of doing business, and indeed it is. I agree with the government taking a look at spending. As I've said, our current spending levels are not sustainable, and something needs to happen.
Whether, in fact, this is the right approach is debatable. What I am having difficulty with is how the government is entering into this whole reduction and reinvestment scheme without getting a baseline or an analysis done of information first and then thinking about what the possible ramifications of decisions will be.
I’m not sure that the Premier and the government are even aware that public comments made about reductions and job loss not only negatively affect their own public service but also have a ripple effect throughout our entire economy. Based on the average family size of 3.5 people, with every employee who would leave the Northwest Territories, we'd lose $65,000 in transfer payments.
There is a real sense of uneasiness — especially here in Yellowknife — such as I haven't seen since the mid-’90s when the gold mines were closing down, and as I’m sure there is in other communities across the Northwest Territories that have large numbers of public servants.
This government seems to lack the sense to understand that loose communications, poor messaging and lack of coordination is going to have negative impacts on small businesses, on the housing markets, and on our ability to attract employees.
Has the government thought about the negative impact to our economy? We should have gone out and done a thorough analysis that a zero-based budgeting exercise would have given us. Then we would have some solid information on which to base our decisions.
We did not need to panic the public service. We did not need to disrupt our economy.
I'd be interested to know whether this government enlisted the services of our relatively new macroeconomic policy shop in the Department of Finance to try to better understand what impacts would be made by the decisions that they are making.
Based on my knowledge of how government works, if we cut $135 million and reinvest $75 million, it would seem that it would only take us three years to be back in the same fiscal position that we're in today.
Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.
Unanimous consent granted.
Again I would say that it would only take us three years to be back in the same fiscal situation that we find ourselves in today.
I question the logic of causing so much pain and agony when there was a need to base our decisions on solid data, not what departments are willing to sacrifice. How exactly will this plan leave Members three and a half years from now in the 17th Assembly? Mahsi.
Mr. Speaker, with this being Education Week, I, along with several of my colleagues, would like to acknowledge the educators of our Territory. In particular, I would like to recognize those who invest their skills and energy to educate the students of Hay River.
These weeks set aside to recognize specific professions are a good idea. However, if we are to truly respect and recognize our teachers, we could most sincerely do that by ensuring that our schools and their staff are adequately resourced to make the most positive impact possible in the education tasks of our children.
To that end, I would like to draw particular attention to the issue of inclusive schooling. The intent of inclusive schooling is a noble notion. It is premised on the model that children of all learning capacities should be educated in the same classroom.
However, when children with very special needs are integrated into the classroom without the necessary support of special needs and classroom assistants, the consequences do not serve anyone’s interest, let alone the child with the special needs. Far too often this dynamic of being under-resourced places untenable stress on the teacher, denies children who may be gifted, as well as the mainstream learners and, most importantly, is a disservice to the students with special needs.
It’s easy as a government to pay lip service to our educators during Education Week. But let’s give them the real support they need every day in their classrooms to educate our children. We should be looking at strengthening our commitment of resources to education. And it should most definitely be off limits for any reduction considerations as we proceed with that debate in this House. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, the 10th anniversary of the Chief Johnny Charlie Memorial Ski-doo Trek is coming up on March 26–31, 2008. The family of the late Johnny D. Charlie would like to invite everyone to participate in the final run of the ski-doo trip, which is now in its tenth year, from Fort McPherson to Old Crow in the Yukon, some 300 miles.
Throughout his life Johnny D. Charlie made this trip a priority, first by dog team in his early days and later with snowmobiles. After his death in 1998, his family decided to continue making the trip in memory of their father. His family feels that it’s important for them to keep in close contact and communication with the relatives in Old Crow in the Yukon.
The whole intent of the trip when it first started in 1999 was to show many people the traditional route, which is taken over the Richardson Mountains, down the Porcupine River, and over to Old Crow in the Yukon. It opened up the old traditional portage trails, and then they marked the trails, they cut out the trails and, more importantly, they included the youth to take part in this activity so they, in the future, will know the route between Fort McPherson and Old Crow in the Yukon.
Finally, Johnny Charlie wanted to ensure, like many of our chiefs before him, that the Teetlit Gwich’in of Fort McPherson and the Vuntut Gwich’in of Old Crow in the Yukon stayed united by having the opportunity to continue a practice that’s been in place for hundreds of years as people move back and forth between communities.
Mr. Speaker, the final run will happen on March 26 to 31. Again, everyone is invited.
Since the beginning of time aboriginal people across the North survived in this cold, harsh environment and also by following the caribou for their food source and also practising traditional cultures and values and ensuring that they are connected with extended families in other parts throughout the Northwest Territories. At the end of the winter season, spring would come, and then they’d continue to celebrate. Mr. Speaker, our people will continue on with this practice today with feasts, dances, and storytelling about what has happened in their communities.
Mr. Speaker, I seek and ask to conclude my statement.
Unanimous consent granted.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you, colleagues. Our people have continued to celebrate by way of feasts, dances and storytelling about their journeys during the past winter, and get together like they did for hundreds of years.
Yet we also continue to celebrate in the Mackenzie Delta at that time of year through different festivals that take place by way of the Mad Trapper Rendezvous in Aklavik, which is March 21–24, the Mackenzie River Jamboree in Tsiigehtchic, which will be April 4–6, and the Peel River Jamboree in Fort McPherson, which will take place April 18–20.
Again, Mr. Speaker, everyone’s invited. Thank you very much.
Mr. Speaker, when we’re back home visiting and talking to people, they bring many issues to our attention. While on the campaign trail, we heard many issues.
One of the issues I heard from a lot of people, Mr. Speaker, was about day care subsidies and the lack of day care spaces. We have a lot of people out there, and I was talking to a couple. One is going to school and the other is working. And it was almost impossible and very expensive for them to keep their child in day care — almost $900 per month per child. You don’t get a discount for the second child.
We ask people out there to…. These people try to contribute to the N.W.T. They try and work. And we, unintentionally, send a lot of people the wrong message. Subsidies that we provide, I believe, are intended well. But we do, I believe, send a message sometimes that you are better off staying at home. We have heard it from a few people.
Subsidies were meant to help get these people back on their feet, not put their feet up and watch TV while other people are working, struggling with day care costs and having to come up with the money for day care.
I look at the money this government spends. These people are not asking you to pay the full amount. What they want is something that is equal, right across the board. These people pay their taxes. They pay into the system. All they are asking for is a bit of a break, some help, because they will continue to contribute because that is the way they are.
I see us spending money: $235,000 we want to spend on an area at a correctional centre; we want to spend $540,000 on a fence; I see $4.5 million in contracts that are leaving the N.W.T. All this money could be used to help a lot of these folks with their day care subsidies. They are not asking for handouts, Mr. Speaker. They pay into the system, and they want the system to treat them fairly.
[English translation not provided.]
Mr. Speaker, I’d like to talk about recent discussions on government cutbacks and their potential impacts on operations on the South Slave District Education Council and the governing body for education for Lutselk’e and Fort Resolution.
The council was established in 1991 to administer K-to-12 education systems for Fort Smith, Hay River, Katlodeeche First Nation, Lutselk’e, and Fort Resolution. Council serves eight schools, with a total student population of approximately 1,800. The council is comprised of one representative in each of the five community-based district education authorities.
Council’s primary responsibility is to provide educational needs for students in the South Slave region. This involves determining the allocation of financial resources, monitoring, evaluating and reporting results to its stakeholders.
Mr. Speaker, the council is very concerned to hear of recent potential government cutbacks. Any reduction to school funding could offset priorities identified previously. The previous government committed to reducing teacher-student ratio to 14:1 — from currently 15:1 — over the next two years and increasing PE and trades’ teaching positions. Any degree of cuts will have a detrimental effect on the council, the local district authority and, more importantly, the education of the students.
On areas to be examined for cutbacks and reprofiling, this government must make education a priority and remain committed to its previous commitment to the South Slave Divisional Education Council and ensure this Assembly’s efforts to support youth are continued.
The council and their respective DEAs have shown good fiscal responsibility. In addition to this, the council’s recently implemented numeracy and literacy initiatives addressing key identifiable needs are showing promising results. Therefore, Mr. Speaker, the council needs continued support from this government to maximize results and build a better future for the N.W.T.
Later on today I will be asking questions of the Minister of Education.
Mr. Speaker, International Women’s Day, celebrated on March 8, is the global day which connects women around the world and inspires them to achieve their full potential. International Women’s Day celebrates the collective power of women past, present and future.
The first National Women’s Day was observed in the United States on the 28th of February in 1909. It was the result of women’s oppression and inequality, which spurred women on to become vocal and active in campaigning for change. In 1908, for example, 15,000 women marched through New York City demanding shorter hours, better pay and voting rights.
Fast-forward to 1977, when the United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution calling on member states to proclaim a day for women’s rights and international peace. Following the United Nations’ lead, Canada declared March 8 as International Women’s Day in Canada. On that day we honour the advancement of women while remembering the need for continued vigilance and action to ensure that women’s equality is gained and maintained in all aspects of life. On March 8 we celebrate the women in our lives and in our communities.
Canada’s theme for International Women’s Day this year is “Strong Women, Strong World.” The women in our communities have great strength. They are the caregivers, the educators and the healers. They are leaders and mothers of our leaders.
The N.W.T. theme for International Women’s Day is “The Importance of Traditional Knowledge.” And how important that knowledge is. It is our personal responsibility to listen to the words of wisdom that our mothers and grandmothers pass down to us. Someone said that when an elder passes away, it’s like watching a library burn. We must not lose the wealth of knowledge that our women elders have to share. In two weeks’ time, on March 8, talk to an elder or a wise woman in your community. We can learn lessons from these women that we cannot learn anywhere else. These lessons are not written down; they are oral traditions. They are the stories that teach us patience, tolerance and kindness, necessities in today’s sometimes intolerant world.
Mr. Speaker, on Friday, March 7, at noon here in the Great Hall, the Status of Women Council of the N.W.T. will hold their annual Bread ’n’ Roses Luncheon to mark International Women’s Day and to present the 2008 Wise Women Awards. Please attend and join in honouring the women of the North. When we empower women, we secure a brighter future for everyone. Thank you.
Mr. Speaker, earlier in the life of this Assembly I made a Member’s statement concerning the voluntary sector in the N.W.T. The voluntary sector is essential to community wellness. Volunteers and voluntary groups, often referred to as non-government organizations, support the values and overall health of communities at large. In my previous Member’s statement and follow-up questions to the Premier, I asked the Premier to improve the G.N.W.T.’s relationship with and financing of this sector.
A first step would be to designate a lead minister responsible for the voluntary sector, a minister responsible at the executive level, rather than putting the entire sector under the responsibility of a department with a focused mandate such as Municipal and Community Affairs. The sector covers all areas of responsibility and is not limited to just sports and recreation. There is clearly a difference between volunteer development and the area of sports and recreation and dealing with government-wide policy and financing issues that cut across the sector as a whole.
When I asked him to designate a minister responsible for the sector, I received no commitment from the Premier. Since then, the Members of this Assembly have completed our strategic planning. In our strategic plan there is clear reference to supporting and strengthening the voluntary sector as a whole. The cabinet’s response to the strategic plan also makes reference to supporting the voluntary sector, as did, although incredibly briefly, the Premier in his opening comments during the sitting of this Assembly.
In order for the voluntary sector and government to work more effectively together, the responsibility for entrenching and maintaining the relationship should rest in the executive. Other jurisdictions in Canada, such as Newfoundland and New Brunswick, have already adopted this approach.
A department dedicated to relationship building, located in a department such as MACA, even though they have a lead role in sports and recreation, will be less effective in reaching across the whole of government than the responsibility based in the central and executive location.
Mr. Speaker, at the appropriate time I’ll be asking the Premier questions concerning the voluntary sector and will be seeking his commitment to dedicate a Minister at an executive or cross-government level to be the primary contact for relationship building and strategic planning with the voluntary sector as a whole. Thank you.
Mr. Speaker, I also want to highlight the volunteer sector. It seems to be the day on both sides of the House for volunteers, the people who work in community groups and agencies and the volunteers who give their time to keep our communities healthy, vibrant and safe.
The voluntary sector is a key component that will make this government’s preventative and fiscally responsible approach work. The voluntary sector includes community groups that provide services dealing with poverty, substance abuse, family violence, homelessness, art, youth justice and the environment. They work on prevention of social issues and on skill development such as literacy, land skills and social communication.
Volunteer groups provide information about environmental issues to help us build a sustainable North, and they work hard at organizing sports and recreation events, as with the 20th Arctic Winter Games, soon to take place. Volunteer groups lead us in celebrations, music festivals, arts exhibits, cultural events and spring jamborees across the N.W.T., which help to build community and remind us of our collective joyous spirit. The sector helps us help each other. Volunteer groups have an ear to the ground in our communities, and they often understand ahead of government what the needs are to keep us safe and vibrant.
This government contributes millions of dollars to front-line volunteer groups yet offers very little directed support to help ensure maximum returns on this investment. Acknowledging this, we adopted the Volunteer Support Initiative in 2005, but we have yet to provide the necessary funds to really implement it. I want to recognize that with the loss of federal support, we did step up to provide emergency funding.
However, in recognizing the volunteer sector as one of this government’s most important partners, I urge this House to fully implement the N.W.T. Volunteer Support Initiative, confirm multi-year funding to provide certainty and efficiencies, identify a high-level single point of contact and communication, and work with Volunteer NWT to make a difference.
As we have recognized in our goals, it is through partnerships that our government can move forward in times of fiscal restraint. The voluntary sector can work with this government, business and our residents to achieve sustainable, vibrant and safe communities and the goals of the 16th Assembly. Mahsi.
On February 15, I received notice as the MLA for Nunakput that there will be no doctor visits in the communities of Ulukhaktok, Paulatuk and Sachs Harbour. In the months of February and March of ’08 in my home community of Tuktoyaktuk there will be one doctor’s visit on March 14.
Mr. Speaker, as a former mayor of Tuktoyaktuk I’m used to getting these letters every time there’s a shortage of doctors in Inuvik Hospital. I’m consistently amazed with the professionalism and the compassion shown by Dr. deKlerk and his team. They do the best they can to meet the medical needs of the communities of the BeaufortDelta. However, there’s also a need to maintain operational capabilities in Inuvik Hospital, and sometimes these competing interests collide and the hospital wins.
I have also heard that there are video telehealth units that are not being used and are still in boxes in the communities. They need to be operational so that doctors and nurses can try to keep patients in their communities and not increase medevac costs, which are a consequence of not having regular doctor visits.
Mr. Speaker, there needs to be a concentrated effort in encouraging doctors to move to Inuvik. Incentives, job sharing, increased training opportunities and even more pay should all be considered. Managing a person’s health through regular contact and follow-up in their home communities lowers the overall cost of health care in the system and justifies additional costs in recruiting and retaining doctors.
In closing, I’d like to thank all the nurses and doctors, both long-term and those just filling in, for their dedication to the health and well-being of the constituents of Nunakput. I will have questions at the appropriate time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
[English translation not provided.]
Mr. Speaker, in November I raised the issue of the impact that the closure of the Deh Cho Hall will have on several key non-government organizations in Fort Simpson. The government’s decision to move its own offices rather than upgrade Deh Cho Hall has left the library, the family resource centre and other local organizations scrambling to find new space. At the time, I asked the Minister of Education to take a proactive approach and organize discussions with the community to help identify alternate space for these valuable organizations.
Mr. Speaker, the Minister did commit to work with the community to establish a transition plan. Regretfully, that has not happened yet, and the clock is ticking for these groups. They still have nowhere to go, and there is a real sense of urgency in resolving this issue.
Mr. Speaker, we have heard time and time again the challenges NGOs face in finding affordable spaces. I believe the government needs to show some goodwill and be willing to work with the community to help identify alternate space for these valuable organizations. I would urge the Minister to live up to his commitment and meet with the community as soon as possible to ensure that suitable arrangements can be made.
I will be asking the Minister questions about the status and the updates on this issue. Mahsi cho.
Mr. Speaker, today I want to talk about perceived fairness or, I should say, the lack thereof in a recent awarding of a bundled contract of five water treatment plants by the Department of MACA.
An unsuccessful bidder who has documented a number of strange coincidences has contacted me. What they have noted would lead any reasonable person to question whether this was an actual RFP or merely an exercise to ensure that MACA’s preferred contractor was awarded these contracts.
A brief backgrounder. MACA realized that the escalating cost might mean delaying some of the five water treatment plants on their capital plan. To their credit, MACA started looking at an innovative solution to ensure that all five water plants were examined so they could be built with one design and by one contractor. So, Mr. Speaker, a good approach from MACA.
I’m sure you’re asking: who is the perceived contractor? To do this, they hired a southern Canada firm, from Abbotsford, B.C., to be exact, and they had determined the work could be done. This same firm presented to the five communities a preferred solution and approach in the presentation made by MACA in April of 2007. Mr. Speaker, this sad sonnet will continue with this firm; you’ll hear more about it later.
After an expression of interest in August 2007 two contracting groups qualified to respond to the request for proposal issued and finalized in November 2007. The unsuccessful consortium, both well-known and respected Northern-based firms with decades of experience in the North, and after spending a considerable amount of time, money and investment, were advised that their proposal could have been stronger for the case in the areas of operations, warranty options and support options. Mr. Speaker, how local do you have to get?
This leads me to believe that the cost of this competition was not the problem. Here we have a southern contractor — they’re back again, Mr. Speaker — who defines the feasibility of the scope of the project, works closely with MACA on the project and may, for all I know, have assisted in the design of the parameters of this contract being awarded to them.
Mr. Speaker, may I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement?
Unanimous consent granted.
Mr. Speaker, did anyone from MACA phone the unsuccessful proponent to clarify these areas of concern, that we had a southern-based contractor working with these communities on individual contracts? And by the way, they may even be involved in the contract RFP call. Who knows? Probably the answer is no.
The concerns are related to this process, Mr. Speaker, and they indeed deserve an explanation.
The fact is that this Northern company, this Northern consortium, wouldn’t reconsider even bothering to respond to this request for proposal, knowing very well the fact that this southern company from Abbotsford, B.C., was involved early on in this project.
Members, I would like to draw your attention today to the presence in the gallery of Mr. Stephen Dunbar, a resident of the Northwest Territories currently attending Carleton University in Ottawa as a graduate student in the department of political science. Mr. Dunbar’s master’s thesis project is on consensus government. As part of his research he hopes to conduct interviews with as many of you as possible. Please join me in welcoming Mr. Dunbar to the Assembly today.
Applause.
Mr. Speaker, it is with great pleasure that I recognize four distinct individuals here in the audience. It’s as part of the Corrections awards that they were recognized this afternoon. I’d like to recognize, first of all, Anthony Beck on receiving the Lifesaving Award; Mr. Gordie Oystrek for receiving the Corrections Exemplary Service Award; Mr. Paul Pearce, also for the Corrections Exemplary Service Award; and last but not least, Mr. Quinn Groenehyde, also with Corrections Exemplary Service Award.
I too would like to recognize Gord and Jessie Oystrek, constituents from Yellowknife South. Also, I’d like to recognize Father Joe Daley from St. Patrick’s Roman Catholic Church here in Yellowknife. Also, Joe Constreau, the federal representative in Yellowknife.
Mr. Speaker, it’s my pleasure today as well to recognize my constituents from Hay River South: deputy warden of the SMCC, Quinn Groenehyde, who received the Corrections Exemplary Service Award; and his wife, Jenny, who is an educator in Hay River.
Also, as Minister Lafferty said, Correctional Officer Anthony Beck, who has today received a lifesaving award, and his wife, Lynn Beck, who is also an educator in Hay River. Welcome to the House.
I too wish to pass along a welcome and recognition to Quinn Groenehyde. I remember when I first moved here to Yellowknife. He taught us basketball as well as many other things. My compliments go to him.
Mr. Paul Pearce — I worked with him at the Yellowknife Correctional Centre. He’s a good mentor out there. I want to pass special recognition to him.
Mr. Gord Oystrek, a training officer there — he taught us a lot of things in safety. It seems to me that every time he worked harder on us, he smiled as we screamed out in pain.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker, to all of those, and congratulations on their Corrections Exemplary Service Awards today.
I’d like to recognize in the gallery my Constituency Assistant from Fort Simpson, Ms. Janice Mandeville.
As well, I'd like to recognize a former Fort Simpson and Deh Cho resident, Father Joe Daley. Mahsi cho.
Mr. Speaker, I'd like to send congratulations to all the correctional officers in particular. There are many people in the gallery, and I don't want to recognize anybody twice.
I just want to recognize Mr. Walter Orr, who is a constituent of mine and an engineer with Ferguson Simek Clark.
If we have missed anyone in the gallery today, welcome to the House. I hope you're enjoying the proceedings. It’s always nice to have an audience in here.
Mr. Speaker, I raise concerns today about the transparency and fairness of the recent awarding of a bundled contract for five water treatment plants to a consortium led by a southern contractor, the Abbotsford, B.C., group that I talked about. It has brought concern and attention to this process that need to be dealt with.
Can the Minister of MACA outline for this Assembly the involvement of this southern contractor’s services in supplying and developing the design of the water treatment plant process, and potentially even in the awarding of the contract?
Mr. Speaker, I need more clarity on which project he’s referring to. We haven't awarded any contracts for bundled water plants as of yet.
Mr. Speaker, I have a letter from Municipal and Community Affairs that says to the Northern firm, the one group from the North that applied on this RFP to do this proposal. They were told that they didn't get it. That only leads to the assumption — or I should say, the obvious position — that the southern firm must have been awarded the project, because we only had two groups applying for it. The Northern one didn't get it; the southern did. What was their involvement?
