Madam Chair. There was no question so I gather the Member's comments as to provoke me into responding and I shall be provoked. It is true, that in this case, there has been no premium. It has been no cost to this government and I applaud all those competitive northern businesses that have built themselves up without any government costs over the years doing business with BHP and other places where their services are required. I have no difficulty with that. My comments that the Member is referring to earlier, just mentioned that, as I recall, in the heat of the discussions with BHP in the summer and fall, there was some members of the public and perhaps this Legislature as I recall, that were ready to drop all conditions and say just let BHP get going with its work because if we continue insisting that our conditions be met, we will lose it all. We have the diamond evaluation facility that this government is insisting and working on right now to try to get the federal government to agree in writing that it will be located in the Northwest Territories. There are initiatives that we are doing to ensure that where possible, northern people will be hired and local labour will be used. Local and northern businesses will be utilized to the greatest extent possible. This policy gives us that assurance. As long as it does that, I would say there is a very strong public interest in keeping it in place. Those companies that do not wish to enjoy the benefits of that, they can voluntarily ask themselves to be struck off the list. We would consider that as well. If Mr. Henry wants to give me a list of those companies that he thinks, based in his constituency in Yellowknife who do not want to enjoy the benefits of BIP, perhaps there is some merit in advancing that list. We could look at it.
Stephen Kakfwi on Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
In the Legislative Assembly on February 11th, 1997. See this statement in context.
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
February 10th, 1997
Page 550
See context to find out what was said next.