Thank you, Mr. Speaker. One of our problems with our capital projects is that they quite often will go over budget and run over the time schedule. Some of the things that have been identified are making amendments to our policies and trying to figure out how to run it a little more efficiently and certainly spend better dollars. I’d like to ask the Minister of Public Works and Services: have they done any work on developing a policy to meet that end?
Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. The honourable Minister of Public Works and Services, Mr. Michael McLeod.
We’ve indicated to the House that we are reviewing our whole contracting process. We are reviewing the way we do business and deliver our infrastructure. We’re going to look at all the concerns that are being raised and all the concerns that have caused issues over the years. We are looking at all the issues that have been of concern.
It was important to get that on the record, because I want to ask the Minister: what is he doing for public consultation to ensure that we’re getting good products out there? Has he made any efforts to contact the Association of Architects, the Maytag organization, the Association of Professional Engineers, Geologists and Geophysicists of the Northwest Territories and Nunavut, as well as the NWT Construction Association and finally the Arctic Energy Alliance? What work has he done to consult with these organizations to help work in partnership to deliver better product, more efficient product and certainly less expensive product?
That’s quite a list that the Member has rattled off. I’d have to go back and check to see if we have indeed talked to each one of them. I would have to see which organizations he’s referred to, but all the organizations that have concern regarding our infrastructure and our delivery are in contact with us on a regular basis. We are members of the Arctic Energy Alliance. We usually take very seriously all the recommendations that come from these organizations so we can incorporate them into this review we’ve undertaken to have with the Regular Members over the next while. I guess the answer to that question is yes.
I wasn’t sure what part of the yes was part of the answer. The issue really is infrastructure projects under the Government of the Northwest Territories. If they go over time or over budget, the construction groups that usually develop those projects are the ones that get the bad rap. I think they can be part of the solution. I just want to make sure, when we look at this aspect of timing, from design to implementation and development of these infrastructure projects, that these groups are included.
If the Minister could just make it clear that, before any policy is set in stone, he will contact those associations I talked about: in short, the engineers, architects, energy and construction associations. Thank you.
We didn’t develop our recommendations in isolation. We did contact the different organizations that have interest, concerns and professional advice they could offer from the different sectors. We will continue to do that as we move forward. We have a pretty good indication of where each organization is on the different issues, but we will stay in contact. I will make that commitment to the Member, as he’s requested. Thank you.
