Mr. Todd.

I'd be only too happy to. Thank you.

Supplementary, Mr. Dent.

Mr. Todd.

I'd like to point out, Mr. Speaker, that in all cases we didn't pay a premium. In some cases we met the budget that was assigned to the projects. I'd be only too happy to demonstrate to this House and to all the Members, the benefits of negotiated contracts with aboriginal people in communities where jobs are desperately required.

---Applause

Item 5, oral questions. Mr. Allooloo.

Minister "mathematical" Morin.

---Laughter

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, that depends whether or not you apply to the business incentive policy.

Supplementary, Mr. Allooloo. This is number two for you, Mr. Allooloo, 498 to go.

---Laughter

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The reason why I asked the question is because there was a case where a local business person in Pond Inlet and a business person from the Northwest Territories bid on the same contract. The local business person's bid was $24,000. The outsider's bid was $26,000. The corporation gave the contract to the higher bidder. I want to know why that was done. We keep hearing this. The resources are scarce in our government. Thank you.

Mr. Morin.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Allooloo is correct on some of the information. We did receive two bids on an electrical contract for the housing corporation in Pond Inlet. One bid was from Merkosak Construction in Pond Inlet for the amount of $24,000. Another bid came from Kheraj Enterprises Ltd. of Resolute Bay for the amount of $26,900. That was for the labour only, to install electrical systems and three access systems in houses in Pond Inlet.

The bids were evaluated. The business incentive policy was applied. In his bid, Merkosak was going to use an electrician who is qualified, but he was a resident of Quebec so he couldn't get the business incentive policy for that portion of the contract. In his bid, Kheraj's northern content and local content named an electrician from the Northwest Territories, so the business incentive policy was applied and Kheraj ended up with the low bid, because of the 15 per cent.

It was brought to the Housing Corporation's attention, by Mr. Allooloo, that Kheraj did not use the electrician from the Northwest Territories. He ended up using an electrician from Newfoundland.

Shame, shame.

I would like to thank Mr. Allooloo for bringing that to my attention. We will be dealing with this. We have two options open to us because it is misleading to the Housing Corporation when a contractor does not follow his contract specifications. We will deal with it.

---Applause

Supplementary, Mr. Allooloo.

Mr. Speaker, this is not the first time that this has happened. I have been working with the Minister during the last few months, and also with the Premier, on this issue. It has to be resolved. Those contractors who say they will use northern businesses, and who don't use them, have to be dealt with. It is unfair to local small business people. On the bids, they normally have to follow what they say they will do and bigger businesses have other options. Mr. Speaker, this has to be resolved.

I would like to thank the Minister for his immediate attention to this. When is he going to deal with this problem?

Minister Morin.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In as much as Mr. Kheraj has misrepresented information to our office in his bid, what I am asking for now is an opinion from Justice whether this represents a breach of contract. If Justice gives me that opinion, I have two options. I can terminate the contract with Kheraj Enterprises and then I can award the balance of the contract to a northern firm, using a northern electrician. This is the route I would prefer to go, but I need an opinion from Justice so I don't get sued. Thank you.

Item 5, oral questions. Mr. Whitford.

Mr. Pollard.

Mr. Speaker, there is coverage for residents of the Northwest Territories when they are travelling in other regions of Canada. There is some coverage for them when they are outside of Canada. I remember, several years ago, having a constituent, and the Department of Health eventually settled their bills in Africa and brought them home. I think we are always willing to look at such situations outside of Canada.

What we mostly do, Mr. Speaker, is encourage people -- at the time they are making their travel plans and seeing their travel agents -- to take out extra insurance for when they are travelling outside of Canada. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.