Thank you. Item 4, Member's statements. Item 5, returns to oral questions. Mr. Morin.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have a return to an oral question asked by Mr. Ningark on September 9, 1992. G.N.W.T. construction dollars awarded in the N.W.T versus the south. For the N.W.T. Housing Corporation the following statistics are for contracts awarded until July 30, 1992. Of the 98 total contracts awarded, 96 contracts went to northern firms, at a total value of $23,397,172.00. 99 percent of the value went to northern companies. For the Department of Public Works, the following statistics cover the period from April 1992 until June 30, 1992, which is the first quarter of the fiscal year. Of the total contracts awarded to northern firms received 94 percent, or 116 contracts. Southern firms received six percent, or 12 contracts. Of the total contract value of $24,203,409.00, northern firms received $17,020,244.00, or 70 percent of the total value. Southern firms received $7,183,165.00, or 30 percent of the total value. The above summary represents only the general contractor who was awarded the contract. It is also important to analyze the northern subcontract value of the contracts that were awarded to southern firms. Of the 12 contracts awarded to the southern firms, just three of those contracts make up 91 percent of those dollars. The three large contracts were for the Fort Liard school addition, the Rankin Inlet D.N.D. F.O.L. Fuel Storage Facility, and the Gjoa Haven Tank Farm. On the Fort Liard project, northern subcontractors received 77 percent of the total value of the work. On the Rankin Inlet project, northern companies received 70 percent. On the Gjoa Haven project, northern firms received 37 percent. Taking the subcontract portion of these three jobs into account, the value of contracts going to northern firms is $20,275,331.00, or 84 percent. The value going to southern firms is $3,928,078.00, or 16 percent. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you. Item 5, returns to oral questions. Mr. Kakfwi.

Thank you. Item 5, returns to oral questions. Mr. Allooloo.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have a return to oral question asked by Mr. Antoine on June 22, 1992, regarding a search for Johnny Tonka. My predecessor, the Honourable Dennis Patterson, wrote to the Member on July 7, 1992, with the information requested on the involvement of Government of the Northwest Territories, and the R.C.M.P., in search for Mr. Tonka. The R.C.M.P. are primarily responsible for searches for missing persons in the Northwest Territories. The search coordinated by the R.C.M.P. is called a Public Search, and this is separate from community organized searches, which is conducted prior to, or after, the public search. The community organized search is coordinated by a Council of Municipalities under the authority of Civil Emergency Measures Act. Through the Emergency Measures Organization, my primary role is to assist communities develop emergency response plans, and maintain the capability to respond to any emergency, including a search.

Mr. Speaker, I have another return, if I may, to Mr. Pudlat, asked on June 26, 1992, regarding the upgrading of the water reservoir in Lake Harbour. Municipal and Community Affairs has commenced the planning for a selection of a new location for a truck fill station at Lake Harbour Reservoir. The new location should address the problems of sediment in the water, as well as grader problems on the access road. The new location of a truck fill station, and the improvements to the access road, will be discussed with the Hamlet Council this fall. Pending budgetary approvals, the design of the truck fill station and the improvements to the access road should be completed in 1993, with construction taking place in 1994. Thank you.

Thank you. Item 5, returns to oral questions. Item 6, oral questions. Mr. Ningark.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is directed to the Minister responsible for Government Services. The Education and training, and subsequently, the employment and business opportunities, are the most important components for maintaining social well being among the young people. In other words, hopes, dreams, and aspirations. Mr. Speaker, the government plays a major role in inspiring the hopes and aspirations of our young people and businesses in today's world. Now, Mr. Speaker, I would like to ask Mr. Minister about the contracts and what the government policy is in awarding government contracts within our jurisdiction. Are there any conditions, or certain areas, when awarding these contracts. By that I mean, do we have conditions when a southern contractor is awarded the contract that specifically states the contractor shall hire local labour, and the contractor shall utilize the local hotel? Thank you.

Mr. Morin.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Many contracts are tendered in a different way, and there are different specs for different contracts. The conditions vary from contract to contract. Normally, in all contracts, when the contractor bids on a job he specifies how much local labour he will be hiring, how much northern labour he will be hiring, how much local materials he will be using, what type of accommodation he will be using, and those conditions are then part of the contract, so he would have to follow those. Thank you.

Thank you. Supplementary, Mr. Ningark.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Supplementary, Mr. Speaker, I understand the conditions and criteria as stated by the Minister. I feel that the contractors from the outside are not complying with these conditions. I wonder if the Minister will insure that these conditions are complied with in the future. Thank you.

Thank you. Mr. Morin.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We do have personnel on staff that continue to monitor the contractors to assure that they are complying to the conditions of the contract that they received the contract under. If the Member has any specifics, I would like to know, and I will guarantee him that we will follow them up and straighten them up. Thank you.

Thank you. Supplementary, Mr. Ningark.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In relation to the same question, as a supplementary I would like to know what the Minister means by "considered northern firms." Are these northern firms 100 percent owned by northern businesses? Thank you.

Thank you. Mr. Morin.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. A northern company is a company that is registered in the Northwest Territories, has a business place of office in the Northwest Territories, and a local northern company is a company that has a business place of office in the community that the contract is in. They would be considered local northern, otherwise they would be considered northern. If you have your office in the south, other than a few major companies: PCL and Clarke Bowler that have the grandfather clause, they would be considered southern. Thank you.

Supplementary, Mr. Ningark.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The northern firm which is considered formally in the N.W.T., I guess I was not being specific about it. If the company was owned by the local community, say about 80 percent, and 20 percent is owned by a southern firm, would that be considered a northern firm because a local business owns the majority of the business? Thank you.

Thank you. Mr. Morin.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As the Member is aware, we have introduced a new Business Incentive Policy to address any loopholes or a plug-in of money going south, within the last few months. A northern business that carries out business in the Northwest Territories, and has their office in the Northwest Territories is then a northern business. The ownership should be in the Northwest Territories. Thank you.

Thank you. Oral questions. Member for Thebacha.