Thank you. Mr. Deputy Minister, Mr. Lovely.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I am aware of the list that is referred to. I think that the point was made at the time that the lists were prepared, although I do not know that that information was passed to Members, that there were 25 layoffs where we had not yet determined the location. Part of that was because we were not sure what the impact of user pay/user say was going to be. We now have that detailed information. We know exactly what remains to be done, and that is the 12 that I referred to earlier. I can assure the Members that unless there is a disastrous financial situation, we are moving towards a period of security within the organization at least for 1997/98 fiscal year. Thank you.

Directorate. We have Mr. Ootes.

Thank you. The Honourable Minister.

Mr. Chairman. First a couple of things that I would like to clarify. The regulations that the Member refers to is government-wide policy. It does not just pertain to the Department of Public Works and Services. The other thing that we have to keep in mind when we are talking about government contracts is that the foremost goal is to make sure that the government gets value for money and to ensure that the work that we are trying to do is in fact done at a reasonable price. Secondary, close second mind you, is that economic benefits, et cetera, and at the same time following accepted procurement policies, et cetera.

The strict guidelines that we spoke of are exactly what I referred to earlier is that the job, the work must be urgently required and if it was delayed that there would be damage to the public interest. If it is urgent and only one party is available at the time and being capable of performing the contract and the contract is less than $1,000 or less than $25,000 for A and E services.

Thank you. Mr. Ootes.

Thank you. There is a bit of detail in the question. Mr. Minister.

Mr. Chairman, what I will do is to get our staff in Public Works and Services to pass on to the Legislature staff the government contract regulations so that all Members can review the regulations for their information.

Thank you. Directorate. Mr. Ootes.

Thank you. Mr. Minister.

Mr. Chairman. I cannot recall if there is an actual policy but there are strict guidelines that are used by Cabinet and those, I have heard the Premier mention quite a number of times in the House. One of the criteria is that for negotiated contracts that the contractor must be northern, that the government must get good value for money and that the benefits of doing negotiated contracts should meet or exceed benefits that would be received in any other way, and that there is political support from MLAs from the community, et cetera.

Thank you. Directorate. Mr. Ootes.

Thank you. Mr. Minister.

Mr. Chairman. Realistically for the Department of Public Works and Services itself, there cannot be a whole lot because our capital budget this year is, I think, only $3 million plus a few dollars. It is impossible for us to determine whether client departments that are building in communities will ask us to administer and negotiate a contract because that is up to their judgement. But I can tell you that last year the department administered seven negotiated contracts and one sole- source contract for the entire N.W.T.

Thank you. Directorate. Your question number five, the final for the time being. We have Mr. Henry and Mr. Roland. Mr. Ootes.

Mr. Ootes. You were cut off. Go ahead Mr. Ootes.

Qujannamiik. Merci. Mr. Minister.

Mr. Chairman, I cannot inform the Member what other departments achieved through negotiated contracts last year, but I can tell you that the majority of contracts that they let, the larger ones were through the Department of Public Works and Services. But, I could not categorically say these were the total. There were seven negotiated contracts and for the Member's information I can name the projects off. The Fort Providence school was negotiated, the Fort Providence health centre, the Hay River Reserve hall, the Fort Good Hope health centre, Tulita school, the Tuk school demolition, the Fort McPherson school. There was one sole-source contract for work on the Gwich'in Park and the contract management proposal, the Member refers to, there was only one last year and that was for the Snare Lakes Office Wellness Centre.