Thank you, Mr. Chairman. My question is with regards to the business incentive policy. Is this applied on top of the sole-source negotiated and invitational tenders?
Debates of Feb. 13th, 1997
Topics
Committee Motion 12-13(4): Recommendation Of Cr 4-13(4): Resource Management
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 628
Committee Motion 12-13(4): Recommendation Of Cr 4-13(4): Resource Management
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 628
The Chair John Ningark
Thank you. On policy, Mr. Antoine.
Committee Motion 12-13(4): Recommendation Of Cr 4-13(4): Resource Management
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 628
Jim Antoine Nahendeh
Thank you. Only to the public tender process, thank you.
Committee Motion 12-13(4): Recommendation Of Cr 4-13(4): Resource Management
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 628
The Chair John Ningark
Thank you. Corporate services, operations and maintenance. Total operations and maintenance, $7,970,000.00. Mr. Steen and Mr. Roland. Mr. Steen.
Committee Motion 12-13(4): Recommendation Of Cr 4-13(4): Resource Management
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 628
Vince Steen Nunakput
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, I believe just about the time the House was closing last year, there was a question put to the Minister in the House, about the contractors on the highway, I believe it was Highway 3, the reconstruction program. There were concerns raised as to whether or not these contractors were hiring NWT residents versus Alberta residents. I do not believe the Minister ever responded to that.
Committee Motion 12-13(4): Recommendation Of Cr 4-13(4): Resource Management
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 628
The Chair John Ningark
Thank you. Mr. Minister?
Committee Motion 12-13(4): Recommendation Of Cr 4-13(4): Resource Management
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 628
Jim Antoine Nahendeh
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, the honourable Member's question is that, so that I am clear, on the Highway 3 reconstruction last year, different contracts being issued to northern companies and that they were hiring southern companies to come in to help them do the work. Is that what the Honourable Member is asking? If that is the case, then some of the contractors that do the actual work try to hire as many people and different companies in the north, but in some cases because of the expertise, especially in the area of the asphalt business and the paving business, they get the expertise from the south. Thank you.
Committee Motion 12-13(4): Recommendation Of Cr 4-13(4): Resource Management
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 628
The Chair John Ningark
Thank you. Corporate services, Mr. Steen?
Committee Motion 12-13(4): Recommendation Of Cr 4-13(4): Resource Management
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 628
Vince Steen Nunakput
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, there were two points to the concern, I believe. One was that the original contractor was subcontracting work south of the border and also, they were using Alberta residents or out-of-territory people, rather than employing available NWT equipment operators on the job. I think the concern here is we are going through a lot of expense training these equipment operators and I believe that the department has one, through the processes of laying off some valuable equipment operators, but I think the concern here is whether or not these people are given ample opportunity to get employed on the
job? Is your department keeping a close eye on these contractors to assure that NWT employees and residents get as much chance on these jobs as possible?
Committee Motion 12-13(4): Recommendation Of Cr 4-13(4): Resource Management
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 629
The Chair John Ningark
Thank you. Mr. Antoine.
Committee Motion 12-13(4): Recommendation Of Cr 4-13(4): Resource Management
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 629
Jim Antoine Nahendeh
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, the honourable Member is making a reference to a large contract, the Highway 3 reconstruction. It is a large contract for us and, at the beginning of each contract, there is a pre-contract meeting where all the different players step forward and meet. That is one of the key areas that raises a major concern by all the people that come to the table. In some cases through the public tendering system, BIP is applied. However, there are some companies that may go joint with a southern firm and if they require the BIP, the BIP requirements, then in a lot of cases, they are successful, even though you deduct for the 15 percent or whatever the requirement that is required in the BIP and they still come out on top. If they go through the public tendering system, we try to encourage them, in that case, to try to use as many northern people, northern resources as possible. Whenever an issue like this is raised, then the department goes after the company to see whether they are following or carrying out the conditions of the contract. Thank you.
Committee Motion 12-13(4): Recommendation Of Cr 4-13(4): Resource Management
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 629
The Chair John Ningark
Thank you. Corporate services.
Committee Motion 12-13(4): Recommendation Of Cr 4-13(4): Resource Management
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 629
Vince Steen Nunakput
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, would it be possible to get from the Minister's department the exact figures for how many NWT residences were employed on that highway project on Highway 3 last year?
Committee Motion 12-13(4): Recommendation Of Cr 4-13(4): Resource Management
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 629
The Chair John Ningark
Thank you. That is detail. One more question, Mr. Minister.
Committee Motion 12-13(4): Recommendation Of Cr 4-13(4): Resource Management
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 629
Jim Antoine Nahendeh
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. We will provide that information in detail.
Committee Motion 12-13(4): Recommendation Of Cr 4-13(4): Resource Management
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 629
The Chair John Ningark
Thank you. Corporate services. Mr. Steen.
Committee Motion 12-13(4): Recommendation Of Cr 4-13(4): Resource Management
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 629
Vince Steen Nunakput
I have another question in regards to negotiated contracts. I believe in the past, this government seemed to be following some of the policies of the past government. Not all of them, but some of them. In the past, I believe, part of the approval process for negotiated contracts were these contracts results. The results went to the Standing Committee of Finance which is now the Standing Committee of Government Operations. I wonder, Mr. Chairman, if there is still that process and is it being followed?
Committee Motion 12-13(4): Recommendation Of Cr 4-13(4): Resource Management
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 629
The Chair John Ningark
Thank you. Mr. Minister.
Committee Motion 12-13(4): Recommendation Of Cr 4-13(4): Resource Management
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 629
Jim Antoine Nahendeh
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, yes, in the past government, the Standing Committee of Finance was provided with the information in regards to different contracts, but now I understand that with the debate in this House for that kind of information, the Minister of Finance is putting a package together here for the contracts for information for the standing committee. I believe that is what is happening now. Thank you.
Committee Motion 12-13(4): Recommendation Of Cr 4-13(4): Resource Management
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 629
The Chair John Ningark
Corporate services, final supplementary. Mr. Steen.
Committee Motion 12-13(4): Recommendation Of Cr 4-13(4): Resource Management
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 629
Vince Steen Nunakput
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, I will have further questions after this one, if I can have the opportunity. Over the past winter, or it was March of last year, we were given briefings on a new proposed negotiated contract policy, which the government was in the process of drawing up and having committee input. Could the Minister indicate if there is still a plan to review the negotiated contract policy?
Committee Motion 12-13(4): Recommendation Of Cr 4-13(4): Resource Management
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 629
The Chair John Ningark
Thank you. Mr. Minister.
Committee Motion 12-13(4): Recommendation Of Cr 4-13(4): Resource Management
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 629
Jim Antoine Nahendeh
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, I personally do not recall what the honourable Member is making reference to, of changing a new proposed negotiated contract, policy package. I do know that the department was looking at trying to put a consolidated policy together some time ago, and I think it has been more or less stalled right now. Put on hold. Maybe that is what the honourable Member is making a reference to. Thank you.
Committee Motion 12-13(4): Recommendation Of Cr 4-13(4): Resource Management
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 629
The Chair John Ningark
Thank you. I am in a dilemma here. I do not do this very often, but perhaps, the Minister is indicating that he is not clear on one matter that a question was asked by Mr. Steen. Perhaps, Mr. Steen, could you clarify something that the Minister is not clear upon?
Committee Motion 12-13(4): Recommendation Of Cr 4-13(4): Resource Management
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 629
Vince Steen Nunakput
Mr. Chairman, I know that there was a lot that went on last winter and some of that stuff bothered me even after I went home. I am sure that I did not dream this up. I am sure that I did attend briefings for both departments, DPW and Transportation, making presentations to the committee, to the Caucus I believe it was, and Ordinary Members on new negotiated contract policies, as well as sole-sourced contract policies. As a matter of fact, I have copies of this stuff upstairs. Thank you.