Now, that is not the only damage this company has done to the territorial economy. In the eastern Arctic, for government contracts, the GNWT requires the use of operation sealift, the government tendered sealift operation, so that economies of scale can be preserved and sailings can be guaranteed.
Nova was required to use operation sealift. What did they do? Their construction materials were brought up on Rock Lessard's barge. This Quebec company was actively shopping around this summer in Iqaluit offering $100 per ton less than the operation sealift rate. Reputable GNWT contractors and long time northern companies honoured their commitment to the Coast Guard sealift. Nova brought their materials up on the Rock Lessard barge. The result, the cancellation of this expected cargo, delayed an August sailing for one month and resulted in the complete cancellation of another sailing.
Many local firms lost a precious summer month due to this default by Nova and the increased costs will be passed on to everyone else so that this firm can violate a condition of the tender call and thumb its nose at the NWT Housing Corporation and the Government of the Northwest Territories.
Madam Speaker, this seemingly favoured company got about half of the rent supp contracts in the NWT this year. I want to ask questions of Mr. Morin about Nova. Does the Minister know that the owner of this company lives in the south? Is the Minister aware that Cedarcrest Homes is doing substantial work on this job for a company which the Housing Corporation gave northern and, apparently, local preference? If so, will there be punitive actions taken for Nova's apparent violation of tender call conditions? And, now that the BIP review is postponed, what is the Minister going to do to ensure that literal bureaucratic analysis of the provisions of the BIP do not any longer result in continuing rewards for cheaters? Thank you.
---Applause