Debates of October 21, 2005 (day 15)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my questions are for the Minister responsible for the NWT Housing Corporation, and they are in follow-up to some of the issues that have been raised about the capacity for northerners to participate in the manufacturing of units which could serve as camps during the construction phase of the pipeline, and, ultimately, housing units after the fact. Mr. Speaker, in some instances, it's hard to discuss these things on the floor of the House, because we are dealing with proprietary information; we're dealing with patents, in some cases; we're dealing with business plans of private corporations; but I do think that we can talk about the concept of northern participation in general terms. I would like to ask the Minister if he has recently had discussions with representatives of Hay River, with respect to including northern participation in the procurement of these types of units. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. The honourable Minister responsible for the NWT Housing Corporation, Mr. Krutko.

Return To Question 215-15(4): Northern Contractor Participation In Housing Initiatives

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I did have an opportunity at the Far North Oil and Gas Conference where there were some members of the Hay River council. We offered them a tour of the ATCO Novel facility. We also put them in contact with the people who work for ATCO with regard to this project. The issue of the possibility came up of developing some sort of plant facility in the North. There are certain components of these facilities that can be built in the North by these portable plants. They have plants all around the world and there is no reason why we can’t do that. Through those discussions, we are hoping they will continue on with the deliberation between the town council in Hay River and the proponents, to ensure that workforce camps for the pipeline are being constructed in the North. We know we can’t construct all of it in the North, but there are certain elements that can be constructed in the North. We are hoping to proceed with the town council in Hay River to continue their deliberations regarding the ATCO structure, to see if they can develop the infrastructure in the North to bring those benefits to the North through this project. Thank you.

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

Supplementary To Question 215-15(4): Northern Contractor Participation In Housing Initiatives

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we all know, on this side of the House, that it is the nature of the private sector that there may be, from time to time, competing interests amongst competing businesses, and perhaps even competing communities, on this. Again, it isn’t always possible to share all of your business's plans on the floor of this House. In a general sense, Mr. Speaker, since there may be people who have already expressed interest and there may be other people potentially interested, I would like to ask the Minister if he feels that he is familiar with what Hay River has to offer in terms of manufacturing capacity. Does he feel he is personally familiar with that capacity? Thank you.

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. Mr. Krutko.

Further Return To Question 215-15(4): Northern Contractor Participation In Housing Initiatives

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I do believe that Hay River does have a lot to offer with regard to this project, regarding lands and also being the transportation link for the North through barging. The key transportation of these structures will be by barge that will go up the Mackenzie River and drop these facilities in different locations up and down the valley. So the crucial components are ensuring there is land availability, and having the workforce and the transportation link to ensure we are able to access the barges required to transfer these infrastructures. Thank you.

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

Supplementary To Question 215-15(4): Northern Contractor Participation In Housing Initiatives

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Certainly, the Minister is right; in order for the North to be competitive on this, you do need to look at things like access to raw materials, material that could be brought in by train into Hay River, and the fact that the finished products could be shipped out by barge down the Mackenzie River system. All those kinds of things go together to give the North the competitiveness that they need to get involved in these activities. I would like to ask the Minister, for the benefit of those people in Hay River who are interested in, perhaps, participating in such a venture, would the Minister himself come to Hay River to meet collectively or individually with interested businesses, and to see firsthand all the manufacturing activity that is already occurring in Hay River? Thank you.

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. Mr. Krutko.

Further Return To Question 215-15(4): Northern Contractor Participation In Housing Initiatives

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, again, I will commit to that. I think it’s important that we do move on this very quickly. With the announcement of the pipeline, there will be a decision made on who will get the contract to build workforce camps for this project that will be purchased through the Mackenzie pipeline project itself. So they will have to make that decision. I am committed to that, but we do have to move on this.

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. Final supplementary, Mrs. Groenewegen.

Supplementary To Question 215-15(4): Northern Contractor Participation In Housing Initiatives

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would suggest that probably November is the best time. I don’t know what the Minister’s schedule is like, but if the MLAs for Hay River coordinated this, would sometime in November fit into your schedule to come into Hay River to spend at least a day or two? Thank you.

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. Mr. Krutko.

Further Return To Question 215-15(4): Northern Contractor Participation In Housing Initiatives

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yes, I will commit to look at my schedule, and see how we can fit in one or two days in November. Thank you.