Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today I want to follow up on a return to written question asked by my colleague from Weledeh, Mr. Bob Bromley, on October 26, 2009. I have some very deep concerns about this government’s relentless pursuit of sole-sourcing contracts.
I would welcome former employees, senior managers, and deputy ministers to bid on contracts with the Government of the Northwest Territories. My difficulty is when contracts are handed over to former senior staff on what would appear to be a silver platter.
Is there not something wrong with a deputy minister who is relieved of their duties and months later handed a sole-sourced contract by the very government that let them go? Who are they hired by? Oh, that’s right, other deputy ministers. Isn’t that convenient? Where does the direction come from? Other DMs or is it a political direction to hire these former deputy ministers?
There are a number of communications and consulting firms here in the Northwest Territories. Why would we sole-source contracts to former senior staff without going to, at the very least, an RFP or tender?
The public asks us as political leaders to govern in a fashion that is fair, open, and transparent. We are the protectors of the public purse here in this Territory. With all of the latitude given to this current cabinet to sole-source contracts to former staff, it is apparent that this Cabinet just does not care about what the public thinks or what I or other Regular Members think about their addiction to sole-sourcing contracts to former senior staff. Why is this happening when the work should rightfully go to RFP? If the government listens, they might actually get a more thoughtful and better product at the end of the day.
I have some very grave concerns over the contract to coordinate the Northwest Territories cultural participation at the Vancouver Olympics. Why was this contract sole-sourced and for how much? I will have questions at the appropriate time.
Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. The honourable Member for Yellowknife Centre, Mr. Hawkins.
