The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Thank you, Mr. Koe. Item 3, Members' statements. Mrs. Marie-Jewell.

Jeannie Marie-Jewell Thebacha

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, following up from my colleague, the honourable Member for Yellowknife Frame Lake, yesterday in his statement, my honourable colleague stated that he was "shocked" with regard to the awarding of a tender. Mr. Speaker, I have reviewed a few tenders and I must say that I am quite appalled at the way the tenders are being awarded. Mr. Speaker, I want to give a few examples to this House with respect to the awarding of tenders and the methods being used, which I can't understand.

First of all, I will speak to the electrical contract which was awarded and received by Clark-Bowler and DPW in December. There were four bids on the electrical contract: First, the electrical contractor, Standard Electric; Amity Electric; F-S One Call; and, ADCO North.

It was decided that Standard Electric's bid was non-responsive. The second lowest bidder was F-S One Call. However, they decided to withdraw their contract because they had left something out of their tender document. The local steering committee, which I commend for all of the volunteer work that they have done, requested DPW and Clark Bowler to consider giving the tender to a local company in Fort Smith, who was Amity Electric. Amity Electric's suggested tender bid was $445,000 and planned to use fully local content.

However, ADCO North was awarded the bid for $438,000 and planned to use only $157,000 local content. So, it was decided to award the tender, by DPW and Clark-Bowler to ADCO North because it was $7,000 lower than the local contractor Amity Electric, even though Amity Electric was going to use $288,000 more local content. The recommendation from the steering committee was denied because the local contractor was $7,000 more and ADCO North was awarded the contract from Yellowknife.

Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to continue with my Member's statement.

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

The honourable Member is seeking unanimous consent. Are there any nays? There are no nays. Please proceed, Mrs. Marie-Jewell.

Jeannie Marie-Jewell Thebacha

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I want to assure my honourable colleague from Yellowknife Frame Lake that Yellowknife contractors are actively being considered. But, Mr. Speaker, when I give the second example, I understand why my colleague from Yellowknife Frame Lake is concerned and shocked by the situation.

The interior finishing tender was tendered twice. After opening the first tender of five components, Clark-Bowler and DPW again recommended to go back out to tender so they could only receive one tender.

The bidders were asked to submit a combined price and, as a result, all the tenders were placed into one. The following results were given: Rainbow Holdings' adjusted tender price was $304,000; Salt Rivers' adjusted price was $314,000; ARC Interior Systems' adjusted price -- who was awarded the tender -- was $355,000. So, DPW and Clark-Bowler awarded the contract to ARC Interior Systems for $40,880 more, over a local contractor. It amazes me how DPW and Clark Bowler could find $40,000 to bring in a southern contractor, but couldn't find $7,000 to award to a local contractor on another tender project. Mr. Speaker, I find that appalling. Thank you.

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Thank you, Mrs. Marie-Jewell. Item 3, Members' statements. Mr. Allooloo.

Titus Allooloo Amittuq

(Translation) Thank you, Mr. Speaker. First of all, I would like to congratulate Mary May Simon, she is going to be our ambassador from the Arctic to the Circumpolar Conference. I understand she is very well known by Greenland and Yupik residents. She is very well known by all of us in the north and also the people of Samie Nation in the Circumpolar Conference. I understand she is going to be very helpful. She is going to be a good representative and a good leader. She used to be President of ICC, the Inuit Circumpolar Conference, and she was also a leader of other organizations, including a major leader of land claims initiatives. I feel we are going to be represented by her very well. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Thank you, Mr. Allooloo. Item 3, Members' statements. Mr. Nerysoo.

Richard Nerysoo Mackenzie Delta

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. On a more positive note, Mr. Speaker, I want to rise to pay tribute to three distinguished Gwich'in women who are all originally from Fort McPherson, one presently living in Fort McPherson and two living in Inuvik. These three women have provided public services, and have received recognition from this government, for over 25 years to the people of the Northwest Territories in the Inuvik region.

First, Mary Kaye, who has worked with the Fort McPherson and now William Firth Health Centre for 25 years; her sister, Shirley Charlie Kaye, who has worked with the Inuvik General Hospital originally and now the regional hospital for 25 years; and, finally, their cousin Elizabeth Crawford Hansen who has taught in such communities as Deline, Fort McPherson, Inuvik, both at SAMS and the Samuel Hearne High School. I want to indicate that all have provided 25 years of distinguished public service to the Northwest Territories and I wanted to pay them respects and give them recognition.

An Hon. Member

Hear, hear.

---Applause

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Thank you, Mr. Nerysoo. Item 3, Members' statements. Item 4, returns to oral questions. Mr. Morin.

Don Morin Tu Nedhe

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have a return to question asked by Mr. Patterson on November 16, 1994 regarding results of investigation of Nova Construction.

On November 16, 1994, Mr. Patterson, the Member for Iqaluit asked if the results of an investigation of Nova Construction would be provided to this Assembly. Mr. Patterson's concerns were the adherence to the business incentive policy and whether requirements in the contract to use "Operation Sealift" were honoured by the contractor.

Mr. Speaker, I have responded to Mr. Patterson by way of a letter dated December 2, 1994. A full evaluation of the project will be carried out once the contract is complete. The project is expected to be complete in April 1995. Once I have received all the information, I will advise Mr. Patterson and Members of the House on the results of the investigation. Thank you.

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Thank you. Item 4, returns to oral questions. Item 5, recognition of visitors in the gallery. Mr. Patterson.

Dennis Patterson Iqaluit

I would like to recognize Mr. Ben MacDonald and congratulate him on his great interest in the affairs of the Legislative Assembly. Thank you.

---Laughter

---Applause