I'm really trying to understand this, Mr. Chairman. I appreciate the Minister's statement that the department made an effort to contract these episodes. I guess my concern is that when one compares costs in the private sector -- I don't like to use that term because I think we're looking at non-profit organizations like communications societies, as well as companies like Pido Productions -- with the cost of doing them in government, it's not always a fair comparison because when governments budget the cost of doing a television program, departments don't have to worry about the costs of employees' salaries and benefits, for example. Departments don't have to worry about the costs of utilities, oil and electricity, for example, because the Department of Education doesn't have to pay the oil and electricity bills in the government building where the program is produced. It's another department and another ministry like the Department of Personnel or Finance that covers the VTA and the medical benefits and the like. I don't need to go on and on. So I guess, Mr. Chairman, I have to ask the Minister if he's saying they couldn't meet our budget. No one was interested in tendering for a reasonable price. I'm wondering whether those overhead costs were considered, those costs that are borne by the outside company, considering that they're absorbed in-house with the government departments. Was it a fair comparison? Thank you.
Dennis Patterson on Committee Motion 29-12(6): To Adopt Recommendation 3, Carried
In the Legislative Assembly on October 19th, 1994. See this statement in context.
Committee Motion 29-12(6): To Adopt Recommendation 3, Carried
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
October 18th, 1994
Page 383
Dennis Patterson Iqaluit
See context to find out what was said next.