Thank you, Mr. Arlooktoo. Mr. Ootes.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Yesterday, the Minister stated that they would include in the response to the unsuccessful bidders in the competitive process, construction management proposals, an offer to get the department to answer questions of why they were not successful. Will the department also review, in detail with those unsuccessful bidders, their rating sheet or rating sheets, that the Department officials do in awarding the contract.

Thank you, Mr. Ootes. Mr. Minister.

Thank you, Mr. Arlooktoo. Mr. Ootes.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Will the Minister undertake to publicize or allow the unsuccessful contractors to know, once the project if finished, how much those projects cost?

Thank you, Mr. Ootes. Mr. Minister.

Thank you, Mr. Arlooktoo. Mr. Ootes. You are on your last question.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Getting instructions on my side here. Mr. Chairman, I am still unclear as to whether the Minister has answered my question on the overall policy. If there is a single overall policy for awarding contracts? I wonder if the Minister could answer that for me?

Thank you, Mr. Ootes. Mr. Arlooktoo.

Thank you, Mr. Arlooktoo. For the record, we are on Public Works and Services, directorate, total operations and maintenance, $12,245,000. I have Mr. Krutko.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. My question in regards to the directorate was in regards to personnel. As we know, especially in my communities, the people in Public Works, especially the people that deal with the water treatment plants, the school and other things have been there for several years. I have a real concern in relation to these transfers to communities and exactly where those individuals are going to go. I think they are a vital group of people, in relation to the problem we had last year in McPherson in the water treatment plant. The thing that I would like to know is exactly when these transfers take place that these individuals go along with those transfers. That you do not go out there and start re-inventing the wheel by retraining all these people. These people have worked themselves into these positions and have served the community for, in some cases 10 to 15

years. Basically they have taken over that responsibility from the federal government. I think those people know exactly when anything breaks down in those communities and where those problems are because they have probably dealt with it a couple of years ago or they know exactly when something happens. They are able to respond to it right away. I feel it is critical that we do not do away with those public service positions, especially when you are dealing with the fundamentals, especially with the water treatment plant which is a crucial and vital system to the community. Regarding sewage and backup systems, in case there is a utilidor system in those communities, those are vital infrastructure in those communities. I do not think we can afford at this time to have that service deteriorate. There is enough impact on that infrastructure in regards to usage. A lot of these infrastructure are outdated but it has probably been several years since money has been spent to upgrade and bring them up to par. Because of those individuals, I feel that it is critical that those people stay in those positions. I would like to ask the Minister exactly what is the intention of his department when it comes to personnel within that department?

Thank you, Mr Krutko. Mr. Arlooktoo.

Thank you, Mr. Arlooktoo. Mr. Krutko.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The reason I raised the question is because there is an instance that happened in Aklavik in which the initiative was put in place to basically through a community transfer initiative, transfer the authority of the water treatment plant to the municipality. Basically they took it on for one day because the individual that they had who is the hamlet foreman, did not have a clue in regards to how that facility operated. The guy did not have any training or background in regards to the plant itself, yet the two individuals that were working for the Public Works for several years, did not have an opportunity to partake in that job offer. So that is the type of circumstances that I am afraid will occur in other areas in which the well being of the community has to come first before a public decision by an elected body is considered. There should be some safeguards in place to ensure that these people, first of all are trained and secondly are familiar with those facilities and know exactly where those problem areas are and have some experience under their belt when you deal with the facility, especially if you are dealing with water treatment, for instance. You are dealing with chemicals and how to mix these chemicals, in regards to calcium and other things that you put into the water system. I think it is critical that we have to have trained, qualified individuals to take on these responsibilities. It is great to empower a community, but without those trained people and also the personnel having some sort of a ticket or certificate to show that they are accountable if there is an incident where someone is poisoned either because of the wrong mixture in the water or someone gets sick. Who is going to be held liable, in that instance, because the individual was not trained? That is my concern.

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. Mr. Arlooktoo.

Thank you, Mr. Arlooktoo. Mr. Krutko.

Yes, since we are talking about the water it is just about that time of year again. I will probably be hitting up on the next couple of weeks or months, exactly what the status, in relation to the water treatment facility in Fort McPherson, which was a hot topic last year which I basically raised in the House. I believe that to date, no major repairs were done on that facility and the thing that I am afraid of is that it is going to be this time last year and we are going to have the same outcome. I would like to know what is the department doing to try to resolve some of those problem areas, so it does not occur again during break up in the next couple of months?

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. You are getting into possibly another activity with your question. Mr. Krutko.

Mr. Chairman, Public Works does maintain the water treatment facility in Fort McPherson. So the question is to the Minister, what has his department done to ensure that this problem would not occur again this year?