Debates of February 3, 2006 (day 22)

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Supplementary, Mr. Pokiak.

Supplementary To Question 333-15(4): Implementation Of Corridors For Canada II Document

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I don’t know if I am allowed to ask this question, but I will let you determine that. I noticed that, in the Finance Minister’s budget, he identified $11 million for the Mackenzie Valley winter road bridge program in his budget speech. I want to ask the Minister of Transportation, I guess, why there wasn’t any thought in putting any money into the budget for the source access road. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Pokiak. Mr. McLeod.

Further Return To Question 333-15(4): Implementation Of Corridors For Canada II Document

Mr. Speaker, the money included in the budget is money identified on a cost-shared basis through agreements with the federal government. There were a number of projects that were included in our submission called Corridors for Canada. There was also the Strategic Highway Infrastructure Program and other agreements signed with the federal government. Some of these were earmarked for specific areas. In the case of the bridging program and the Mackenzie Valley roads, it was to deal with some of the resource development pressures. We had included the Tuk to Inuvik stretch of road in our submission. It was not accepted. It did not meet the criteria for the federal government. That is why it is not in this budget, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Final supplementary, Mr. Pokiak.

Supplementary To Question 333-15(4): Implementation Of Corridors For Canada II Document

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have one last question for the Minister. Is there any possibility that the department can find extra funds for this winter to actually pour some gravel from the source to town, Tuktoyaktuk? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Pokiak. Mr. McLeod.

Further Return To Question 333-15(4): Implementation Of Corridors For Canada II Document

Mr. Speaker, we are doing an assessment of the gravel needs in the community. Transportation has taken the lead on some of this stuff to provide the stockpiling. I couldn’t tell you right now whether that is going to happen in Tuk this year. We have to do an assessment with all of the different departments and see what their needs are in terms of requirements for this coming fiscal year. I will have to get back to the Member as to if there will be a stockpiling program or not this year. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in October of last year, I rose in this House with questions to the lucky Health Minister we have over here about sole sourcing purchases that are going directly south and the concern that several Yellowknife businesses had brought to me with the fact that they felt left out of the picture of bidding opportunities. They felt slighted by the process. Mr. Speaker, I wrote to the Minister about the policy. Two days ago in this House, I tabled a letter to me from the Minister of Health and Social Services regarding medical supply businesses. He says they follow the GNWT procurement program process. If I read one sentence, I am going to ask him what they are doing about it, which is some authorities appear to comply. Others have misinterpreted the policy and others appear to comply. What is the Minister doing about this problem that people are not complying to our policies? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. The honourable Minister of Health and Social Services, Mr. Miltenberger.

Return To Question 334-15(4): Compliance With GNWT Sole Source Contract Procedures

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the deputy has been tasked and quickly recognizes the need to follow-up with all of the CEOs and the various authorities to review the processes and appropriate procedures and ensure that they are put into place on an ongoing basis. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Supplementary, Mr. Hawkins.

Supplementary To Question 334-15(4): Compliance With GNWT Sole Source Contract Procedures

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I emphasize Yellowknife businesses were missing out on opportunities that they felt that they didn’t even get to see the bid on. These are the same businesses that are filing taxes here, so that should make our Finance Minister happy, but they are also being asked to donate to the community. If I can point out sole sourcing on a tabled document here on May 31, 2005, for Health and Social Services, it is a sole source directly that was $18.5 million out of their total contracting budget area which was $20 million, so that represents 92 percent of contracts went sole sourcing. What is the Minister going to do to make sure we correct this and have it measurable, deliverable, so I can go out to the Yellowknife Centre businesses and say to them that this government is doing something about this problem? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. Mr. Miltenberger.

Further Return To Question 334-15(4): Compliance With GNWT Sole Source Contract Procedures

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we will ensure that we are appropriate and guidelines are followed and procedures are followed. But I would like to point out, as well, that we have some very significant contracts that are with a specific provider. The one that immediately comes to mind, of course, is the capital health authority, where we have over a $10 million arrangement with them to provide services. We have numerous arrangements for children in care that are very specialized services that we just don’t put out to tender. In cases where it is appropriate, we are talking about goods and services and it makes sense, we make sure that the guidelines and policies are followed. I have committed to that. The Member should just be aware that there are a significant number of contracts in the business that we do. By virtue of necessity, they are done the way they are. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Supplementary, Mr. Hawkins.

Supplementary To Question 334-15(4): Compliance With GNWT Sole Source Contract Procedures

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I really appreciate the Minister pointing that out because that lead well into my next question. The Minister said that there are significant contracts. I will bow to his expertise. Yes, there are very significant contracts that probably do need to go to sole source. But, Mr. Speaker, out of the 75 contracts awarded that are over $5,000 on this tabled document, 58 of those are sole sourced. That means 17 went out to any type of competitive bid. That is telling you that 77 percent of these contracts of over $5,000 went to sole source. Mr. Speaker, how can we measure that in a fair and equitable way? I think people in the Northwest Territories are missing out on fair opportunity. What is the Minister going to do about that? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. Mr. Miltenberger.

Further Return To Question 334-15(4): Compliance With GNWT Sole Source Contract Procedures

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the Member has the document. I am not quite sure what the question is. I have indicated that we have identified, in some parts of our operation, we have to pay better attention and be more diligent in how we apply the contracting processes. We are going to do that. I would suggest that, as we bring forward in our accountable way how contracts are let and what contracts are let, we should hopefully see an improvement. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Final supplementary, Mr. Hawkins.

Supplementary To Question 334-15(4): Compliance With GNWT Sole Source Contract Procedures

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. To further emphasize my point, and I do appreciate how the Minister was very forthcoming on this information, because I believe it was a lot of work to put it together, but under Stanton Territorial Hospital authority, northern suppliers supplied $156,000. In comparison, southern suppliers supplied $1.75 million. That means northern suppliers supplied eight percent at the Stanton Territorial Hospital.

Mr. Speaker, the Department of Health and Social Services, under the sole source contracting ledger here, made up 43.6 percent as a government as a whole for sole source. So it looks like the Department of Health and Social Services certainly has a different conduit for putting out public tenders. Mr. Speaker, my last question to the Minister is, what is he going to do to ensure that every single contract that can get out there gets out there for a fair and public opportunity for businesses? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. Mr. Miltenberger.

Further Return To Question 334-15(4): Compliance With GNWT Sole Source Contract Procedures

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I believe I spent the last three questions providing the information of what we intend to do. I will just stand by those commitments that I made in previous answers to previous questions. We will ensure that, where appropriate, we go to public tender. Recognizing the business we are in, we require the latitude to do sole source in certain areas. Where it has been identified that the rules haven’t been applied properly, we have taken the steps with the deputy minister to ensure that everybody involved is clearly aware of what is expected of them. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question today is for the Minister responsible for the NWT Housing Corporation. As well, I am pleased to see that Housing was, indeed, addressed in the budget speech with respect to building new affordable housing units in 14 of our small communities.

I have always been advocating that, over in Fort Liard, we had one of the most severe housing shortages and coupled with the mould problem, Mr. Speaker. I just would like to know what exactly is the department going to do to have some funds directed in that direction to renovate those homes and bring in some new additional units? The community has been asking for six-plex type units and single housing units. Are we going to address those in this budget, Mr. Speaker, or are we going to allocate any funds to relieve those conditions there? Mahsi cho.

Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. The honourable Minister responsible for the Housing Corporation, Mr. Krutko.

Return To Question 335-15(4): Affordable Housing Units For Fort Liard

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in regards to Fort Liard, we have had a problem with the Kotaneelee units. We have put $1 million in there to do renovations of the units. We have completed four. We have had meetings with the municipality, the hamlet and the band council for them to conclude the remaining six units. But in this year’s budget, we are looking at allocating five more units into Fort Liard. With that and ongoing funding, we hope to address the housing needs in Fort Liard.

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. Supplementary, Mr. Menicoche.

Supplementary To Question 335-15(4): Affordable Housing Units For Fort Liard

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Just with respect to Kotaneelee houses, I am sure glad that we are going to spend a lot of effort on renovating those homes. However, there are many other homes that do have mould infestation problems. I just might add too, Mr. Speaker, that in a lot of the homes, there is lots of overcrowding in Fort Liard. We have to address this and soon. Particularly with mould, we are going to have to…It can be, and is, a serious health problem at times. I know that the Housing Corporation went on public record last year saying that one way to address the mould problem is with a cleaning solution, but that is not the solution that people are wanting to hear, Mr. Speaker. I would like to know what other efforts the Housing Corporation will direct to address this problem. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. Mr. Krutko.

Further Return To Question 335-15(4): Affordable Housing Units For Fort Liard

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we have identified dollars in the upcoming budget to deal with emergency cases, such as Fort Liard mould and other situations, to make improvements to bring our houses up to the standard that is liveable. There are dollars allocated in the budget in which we will be reviewing next week. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. Supplementary, Mr. Menicoche.

Supplementary To Question 335-15(4): Affordable Housing Units For Fort Liard

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I just would like to know if the Housing Corporation is going to the communities and asking for further input. Quite often, they keep saying that the Housing Corporation has to change its ways, that they are doing business in the communities and the homemade solution is the best. I know the corporation made a recent visit into Fort Liard to address some of these housing concerns. What direction will the Housing Corporation take? What other support will they be providing the community of Fort Liard? Mahsi.

Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. Mr. Krutko.

Further Return To Question 335-15(4): Affordable Housing Units For Fort Liard

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we have been working with the community of Fort Liard. The leadership in the community is in the process of establishing a community housing board to deal with these housing issues, and that will establish an officer to work with the community to take on more of that responsibility. Right now, it is administered pretty well out of Fort Simpson. By doing that, we will devolve more of that authority to that community and allow them to make decisions with housing. We are working with the community leaders, the hamlet, the band council, and also proceeding with establishing a local housing authority there which will improve the housing access to people in Fort Liard right in the community. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. Your final supplementary, Mr. Menicoche.

Supplementary To Question 335-15(4): Affordable Housing Units For Fort Liard

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am pleased to hear that answer. Housing is very near and dear to all of the constituents in my riding and particularly in Fort Liard. With respect to the mould problem, is there any indication by the Housing ministry of developing a program specific to the mould? I know that other communities in my riding are coming forward and saying, look, I have that same kind of problem. Does the housing program have any type of programs to assist me with cleaning it out or retrofitting my house and getting rid of the constant mould problem, Mr. Speaker? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. Mr. Krutko.

Further Return To Question 335-15(4): Affordable Housing Units For Fort Liard

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we do have various programs at their disposal for people to apply. One of them is emergency repair programs. It falls within that category. We will be able to assist. We have done an in-depth report on the mould problem in Fort Liard, so we are in the process of dealing with that, starting off with the Kotaneelee housing. But there are programs available to residents of Fort Liard to apply, especially the emergency repair funding. With is there. By that process, they can access that through that program. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, it was about a year ago in this House that I was arguing very strenuously about the closure of the remand unit in Hay River. One of the premises of my argument, just one of them, was the fact that I didn’t feel that the $400,000 projected savings was actually going to materialize. Subsequent to that, I did ask the Minister of Justice, Minister Bell, if he would monitor the costs of providing the remand services under the new regime so that we could compare it to the historic costs for remand. Over the course of the year, he would do that. Does the Minister have any updated information for me with respect to that comparison? Thank you.

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. The honourable Minister of Justice, Mr. Bell.

Return To Question 336-15(4): Current Versus Historical Cost Of Remand Services In Hay River

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We are monitoring the costs both internal and our departmental savings. As the Member knows, we took $400,000 out of the budget, but we are looking at what our actual costs to deliver programs and services in that area will be and see what the true savings are. The other aspect that we are monitoring is the cost of the RCMP. Of course, their budget did not go up but, anecdotally, we wanted to know from them whether or not this was an additional workload, whether it was taking them away from other duties. So by year end I will have an analysis of that done. I would also suggest that our intent was to save money. It was a cost-saving exercise. I wanted to ensure that that is, in fact, what was happening. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Bell. Supplementary, Mrs. Groenewegen.

Supplementary To Question 336-15(4): Current Versus Historical Cost Of Remand Services In Hay River

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We will certainly look forward to that report and the folks in Hay River mostly affected by it. Five positions were going to be by attrition. I understand that only one of those positions has actually been vacated. But the folks who were most affected by this were the casual staff who were called in on a frequent basis to monitor the remand unit. I understand that a number of them are still in Hay River. They would be very interested in hearing the response. When the report comes out and it proves that there were no $400,000 cost savings, what measure will the Minister take in that regard? Thank you.

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. Mr. Bell.

Further Return To Question 336-15(4): Current Versus Historical Cost Of Remand Services In Hay River

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It is a hypothetical question at this point. I am prepared to consider that information when I get it. I would also propose that I would like to see the facility, have a tour of the facility, get a better sense of how the remand services were delivered and take a look at options. I know we have improved surveillance in the facility now and installed some new cameras. I think that goes a long way toward dealing with some of the safety concerns that we had and were raised by the chief coroner. There are a number of things that I can look at, but I still want to analyze the cost savings. Again, it was a cost-savings initiative. We will see where we are by the end of March. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I want to ask the Minister of Transportation. Last week, I indicated that I was in the Sahtu in a regional conference. One of the elders from Fort Good Hope said that the road is so good up in the Sahtu, it is beyond the gold road now. It is scary there. I want to thank the Minister and the Premier for the work. The elder said that he can put his coffee cup on the dashboard now and not spill the cup. I want to ask the Minister for an update in terms of the winter road in the Sahtu in terms of the bridge work that is going to be put into various creeks to conclude the bridge work of that road. Thank you.