Thank you. I would like to remind all the Members of this House that question period is there to seek information, not to provoke debate. Secondly, I would also like to remind all the Members of this House, when you ask an initial question, you are allowed preamble. Supplementaries you do not need to come up with a preamble. Mr. Dent.
Debates of Feb. 3rd, 1997
Topics
Supplementary To Question 200-13(4): Funding For Regional Libraries
Question 200-13(4): Funding For Regional Libraries
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 344
The Deputy Speaker John Ningark
Further Return To Question 200-13(4): Funding For Regional Libraries
Question 200-13(4): Funding For Regional Libraries
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 344
Charles Dent Yellowknife Frame Lake
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, there are two issues. The Member seems to have confused them by putting them together. One issue is regional librarians. The elimination of two regional librarian positions is contained in the 1997-98 budget. That has nothing to do with books, Mr. Speaker. The regional librarians provide services to support community libraries. The community libraries are not going to receive any less funding in the 1997-98 budget. There has not been any proposed change there at all. What we have started, is the process of consultation, to look at how we might more equitably provide support to community libraries across the Northwest Territories. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Further Return To Question 200-13(4): Funding For Regional Libraries
Question 200-13(4): Funding For Regional Libraries
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 344
The Deputy Speaker John Ningark
Thank you. At the same time, I would like to remind the Ministers that are responding to Members to try to be concise with the answer.
Further Return To Question 200-13(4): Funding For Regional Libraries
Question 200-13(4): Funding For Regional Libraries
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 344
The Deputy Speaker John Ningark
Mr. Picco, final supplementary.
Supplementary To Question 200-13(4): Funding For Regional Libraries
Question 200-13(4): Funding For Regional Libraries
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 344
Edward Picco Iqaluit
Thank you. My final supplementary then. If there are no proposed changes, then what is this proposal that he is looking at? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Supplementary To Question 200-13(4): Funding For Regional Libraries
Question 200-13(4): Funding For Regional Libraries
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 344
The Deputy Speaker John Ningark
Thank you. The honourable Minister Dent.
Further Return To Question 200-13(4): Funding For Regional Libraries
Question 200-13(4): Funding For Regional Libraries
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 344
Charles Dent Yellowknife Frame Lake
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I said there was some consultation that has just started. The process has just started to take a look at whether or not we can more equitably support libraries in every
community across the Northwest Territories. It is a different issue from the regional librarians, Mr. Speaker.
Further Return To Question 200-13(4): Funding For Regional Libraries
Question 200-13(4): Funding For Regional Libraries
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 345
The Deputy Speaker John Ningark
Thank you. Oral questions. Mr. Krutko.
Question 201-13(4): Funding For Constitutional Development
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 345
David Krutko Mackenzie Delta
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is for the Minister of Aboriginal Affairs, Mr. Antoine. It is in relation to my statement I made in the House earlier. In regards to the whole question about funding for aboriginal organizations, in regards to self-government talks or the constitutional process, I would like to know exactly how much money has been spent directly to aboriginal organizations for self-government talks? Also, how much money has been spent on the constitutional process to date for the west?
Question 201-13(4): Funding For Constitutional Development
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 345
The Deputy Speaker John Ningark
Thank you, Mr. Krutko. I am informed that perhaps it should have been a written question, but I will allow the honourable Mr. Antoine, the Minister for Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Constitutional Affairs. Mr. Antoine.
Question 201-13(4): Funding For Constitutional Development
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 345
Jim Antoine Nahendeh
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, you are right it is a detailed question and I do not have the figures at my finger tips so, I would like to take this question as notice and provide the answer at a later time. Thank you.
Question 201-13(4): Funding For Constitutional Development
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 345
The Deputy Speaker John Ningark
Thank you. The honourable Minister is taking the question as notice. Oral questions. Mr. Ootes.
Question 202-13(4): Process For Letting Construction Contracts
Item 6: Oral Questions
February 2nd, 1997
Page 345
Jake Ootes Yellowknife Centre
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is for the Minister of Public Works. Last week I asked several questions in regard to the types of contracts that the government let, and reference was made to public tender, sole-sourced and negotiated. Then in the course of questions, it was revealed that we have requests for proposals, also construction management proposals and site superintendent services. Dealing with the construction management proposal, there is no information released when a contract is awarded under this system. The price and the reasons for the award are not available to the contractor, nor to those submitting proposals, nor to the public at large. Individual contractors are not allowed to see their own ratings after a contract has been awarded. They should be able to see this, Mr. Speaker, and I would ask the Minister, since this is an issue of disclosure, if he could tell us if my information is, first of all, correct?
Question 202-13(4): Process For Letting Construction Contracts
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 345
The Deputy Speaker John Ningark
Thank you, Mr. Ootes. Mr. Arlooktoo.
Return To Question 202-13(4): Process For Letting Construction Contracts
Question 202-13(4): Process For Letting Construction Contracts
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 345
Goo Arlooktoo Baffin South
Mr. Speaker, the process is that, when a contractor that has bid on a project is unsuccessful, the Department of Public Works writes letters to all unsuccessful bidders on who the winner was and they are given an opportunity to ask questions or ask for clarifications and at that point in time the department is available to discuss the pros and cons of their proposal.
Return To Question 202-13(4): Process For Letting Construction Contracts
Question 202-13(4): Process For Letting Construction Contracts
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 345
The Deputy Speaker John Ningark
Thank you. Oral questions. Supplementary, Mr. Ootes.
Supplementary To Question 202-13(4): Process For Letting Construction Contracts
Question 202-13(4): Process For Letting Construction Contracts
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 345
Jake Ootes Yellowknife Centre
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Under the construction management proposal, it has been brought to my attention that the amount of the successful bid is not revealed and the criteria for ratings is not revealed to the contractor submitting the proposal. Would the Minister ensure that those contractors who did submit proposals are given their rating sheets, Mr. Speaker?
Supplementary To Question 202-13(4): Process For Letting Construction Contracts
Question 202-13(4): Process For Letting Construction Contracts
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 345
The Deputy Speaker John Ningark
Thank you. The honourable Minister for Public Works and Services, Mr. Arlooktoo.
Further Return To Question 202-13(4): Process For Letting Construction Contracts
Question 202-13(4): Process For Letting Construction Contracts
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 345
Goo Arlooktoo Baffin South
Mr. Speaker, if there is a specific contract that the Member is talking about I would be interested in perhaps getting the file and looking into it. As I said, the process was that if an unsuccessful contractor is interested in how they did and wishes to talk to the people that appraised their proposal and get comments and feedback on how they did and how they can improve, they can in fact do that.
Further Return To Question 202-13(4): Process For Letting Construction Contracts
Question 202-13(4): Process For Letting Construction Contracts
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 345
The Deputy Speaker John Ningark
Thank you. Supplementary, Mr. Ootes.
Supplementary To Question 202-13(4): Process For Letting Construction Contracts
Question 202-13(4): Process For Letting Construction Contracts
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 345
Jake Ootes Yellowknife Centre
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I understand that it is general policy in the construction management proposals that the amount of the award is not revealed and the criteria for making the ratings of the contractors is not revealed. I will ask the Minister again, will he ensure that information is revealed under the construction management proposals for the contractors? Thank you.
Supplementary To Question 202-13(4): Process For Letting Construction Contracts
Question 202-13(4): Process For Letting Construction Contracts
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 345
The Deputy Speaker John Ningark
Thank you. The honourable Minister for Public Works and Services, Mr. Arlooktoo.
Further Return To Question 202-13(4): Process For Letting Construction Contracts
Question 202-13(4): Process For Letting Construction Contracts
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 345
Goo Arlooktoo Baffin South
Mr. Speaker, I can certainly look into that. The unsuccessful bidders can, in fact, go and talk with the Public Works and Services staff about their own proposal, but a lot of the times the information in those documents is privileged and confidential, therefore we do not make them available to any others. But I will look into the Member's concerns.
Further Return To Question 202-13(4): Process For Letting Construction Contracts
Question 202-13(4): Process For Letting Construction Contracts
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 345
The Deputy Speaker John Ningark
Thank you. Final supplementary, Mr. Ootes.
Supplementary To Question 202-13(4): Process For Letting Construction Contracts
Question 202-13(4): Process For Letting Construction Contracts
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 345
Jake Ootes Yellowknife Centre
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The contractors are not allowed to see their own ratings sheets nor is it announced to the public or to other contractors how much the bids were
for. Will the Minister reveal that information on ratings sheets for individual contractors to those particular contractors?