Debates of March 30, 2004 (day 11)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’ll pick up where some of my colleagues have left off with my line of questioning. I guess the first question I’ll ask to the Minister responsible for the Housing Corporation -- and I’ll get right to the point, Mr. Speaker -- is why were northern manufacturers not consulted in this process? Thank you.

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Minister responsible for the Housing Corporation, Mr. McLeod.

Return To Question 112-15(3): Consultation With Northern Manufacturers

Mr. Speaker, in this whole initiative, our goal was to provide affordable housing to the non-market communities and our intention was to bring it to a cost where it would be affordable and people would like to utilize it. We contacted a number of different organizations and boards and agencies across the North and we did have a very positive response. We felt because we had an open bidding process that we would go that route. The manufacturing community does have an opportunity to bid on this, as does everybody else. Thank you.

Supplementary, Mr. Ramsay.

Supplementary To Question 112-15(3): Consultation With Northern Manufacturers

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Again I’ll ask the question. How come northern manufacturers were not consulted in this process? I know the Minister spoke of contacting different boards and agencies from across the North and I’m just wondering, Mr. Speaker, can the Minister supply us with who was contacted and when they were contacted? As I see it, the northern manufacturing industry here in the Northwest Territories was not contacted. So please, Mr. Speaker, can the Minister provide us with the information on who was contacted and when they were contacted? Thank you.

Two questions. Mr. Minister.

Further Return To Question 112-15(3): Consultation With Northern Manufacturers

Mr. Speaker, yes, we can provide some information, in terms of who was contacted in writing. There is also a Web site that we have available for the Housing Corporation. I also want to point out that this is a portion of our larger capital projects and the information is distributed in the same way. We have $32 million in capital projects. This is going to be around $2.3 million. We do not go around contacting every company to personally knock on their door and say, yes, we have this coming up, would you like to bid? Thank you.

Final supplementary, Mr. Ramsay.

Supplementary To Question 112-15(3): Consultation With Northern Manufacturers

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I know most of the gentlemen across the other side of this House have at one time or another stood up and extolled the virtues of diversifying our economy and supporting our manufacturing industry. I’d like to ask the Minister one final question and that is if he and the Premier can put together a chronology of events that lead up to this decision being made. I’d like some detail. That’s the one thing that’s missing in this whole equation, Mr. Speaker, is the lack of detail to the regular Members on this side of the House and I think it’s shameful. I think the Minister should provide that chronology of events at his earliest convenience. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Minister responsible for the Housing Corporation, Mr. McLeod.

Further Return To Question 112-15(3): Consultation With Northern Manufacturers

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We have begun drafting a chronology of events. We’ll have it prepared and provided to the Members as soon as possible. Thank you.