Debates of March 29, 2004 (day 10)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to pursue questions on the BIP issue. Mr. Speaker, last Friday in Hansard on page 826, the Minister of RWED…My question is to the Minister of the Housing Corporation. I do want to say that the Premier and Ministers McLeod and Bell on Friday made commitments to this House to provide various stats and figures, based on which they made the decision to waive the BIP. It was supposed to be done before session and we still don't have it, so I have to pursue more questions. Mr. Speaker, I am not clear about how these decisions came about to waive the BIP. There was a suggestion that this decision was made in the last Assembly. Then there is a suggestion that we have to go now, we can't put a brake on or else all projects will fail. So I would like to ask the Minister responsible for the Housing Corporation who decided to waive this BIP, this Cabinet or the last Cabinet? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Minister responsible for the Housing Corporation, Mr. McLeod.

Return To Question 103-15(3): Waiving Of The Business Incentive Policy

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, there was a commitment made on Friday to provide information to the Members, and I have followed up and we're expecting that information to be here shortly. In response to the question on who made the decision, the initiative was developed in the 14th Assembly, however, the Cabinet of the 15th Assembly confirmed and it was to go ahead to proceed with this whole initiative. Thank you.

Supplementary, Ms. Lee.

Supplementary To Question 103-15(3): Waiving Of The Business Incentive Policy

I wonder if anybody notices the irony that the Cabinet could take a whole assembly to make a decision like this, but Members on this side have no say whatsoever. We get two weeks' notice and we have to go with it or else. We are being told over and over the government will not revisit this, that he will not put any brakes on this. Mr. Speaker, I think there is less than full information that we know about what is surrounding this contract. All the Ministers have suggested that they are waiving the policy, because having the policy in this contract has the potential to increase the cost. The Ministers also suggest that they have to go with the most economically feasible one, and that northern contractors have the option to apply, suggesting that everybody is open to bid on it and whoever bids the best will get it. But, Mr. Speaker, I have information that suggests that the Minister and the government is really going for the southern contractors. So I would like to know from the Minister whether or not there has been any direct communication between the department with the southern contractors to see this contract go to the south. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Minister responsible for the Housing Corporation, Mr. McLeod.

Further Return To Question 103-15(3): Waiving Of The Business Incentive Policy

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I'm not aware of anybody in the south who has been contacted. There may have been some contacts made in terms of assessing what the average cost of these units would be, but I have not seen any information in that regard. We are quite comfortable that there are many, many people picking up the tenders, including northern people interested in bidding on these things. But in response to the Member's question, no, I am not aware of any companies that were contacted, at least not any that have been brought to my attention. Thank you.

Supplementary, Ms. Lee.

Supplementary To Question 103-15(3): Waiving Of The Business Incentive Policy

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would suggest that the Minister speaks to his officials and confirms as to whether or not southern companies were contacted about this contract and, if so, whether any northern contracts were contacted as well. Mr. Speaker, my last question; I do not understand the rationale that if we put a break on this tender process until some questions are answered that are being raised by the Members in this House, that we're not going to see housing this fall. I don't understand that rationale. I would like to ask the Minister again whether or not he would consider extending the time by one month? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Minister responsible for the Housing Corporation, Mr. McLeod.

Further Return To Question 103-15(3): Waiving Of The Business Incentive Policy

Thank you. As the request from the Member indicates, there seems to be some dissatisfaction with the communication. We are having a Cabinet meeting on Thursday, and it's something I will bring up for discussion. However, we have to keep in mind if this project is deferred by a month, we certainly will not meet the barge deadlines and, therefore, may not be able to go ahead. However, I will commit to the Member that I will bring it forward for Cabinet's discussion. Thank you.