Thank you. Mr. Ootes.

Thank you. Mr. Picco has indicated he wanted to speak to the motion. Mr. Picco.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I speak in favour of this motion. I note in the motion that the honourable Member for Yellowknife Centre is asking for the policy to be provided to the standing committees of the Assembly so we can see them. Yesterday, in response to a written request that I had asked on negotiated contracts and sole source contract policy, it was explained in the written response from the honourable Don Morin, Premier, which was tabled in this House and in the Hansard from yesterday, that there is no sole source contracts policy. Sole source contracts are governed by the government contract and regulations of the Financial Administration Act.

The reason why I am supporting this motion, Mr. Speaker, is because it is governed under the FAA, a lot of times that seems to be circumvented and maybe not because of duplicitous reasons but because the Financial Administration Act is large and maybe is not being followed by the different government departments. I think that by having a policy, we will be able to look at and monitor this policy. In the book that Mr. Ootes spoke about earlier today, where all the tendered, negotiated and sole source contracts are now listed, listed as such, it has been evident that about 47 percent of all contracts issued by this government are either sole sourced or negotiated. Mr. Speaker, that is a number that is too high and we do not know as a government in these tough fiscal times what is the premium that we are paying as a government for going to sole sourced and negotiated.

After saying that, Mr. Speaker, I am not saying that I am not in favour of all negotiated contracts. If a health board falls tomorrow and you have to negotiate a contract, I have no problem with that. There are certain instances. But sometimes it would seem, Mr. Speaker, that this government over the past x-number of months has been using the sole source and negotiated contracts as a way of potential, and Mr. Speaker, the word I will use is potential, for favouritism. Mr. Speaker, I am hoping that this policy and now the motion following on our motion of May 13th of last year and Mr. Ootes' motion of today will hopefully bring some conclusion and some direction by this government to this policy and thus I will be voting and supporting this motion. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

-- Applause

To the motion. Mr. Arlooktoo.

Mr. Speaker, firstly I would indicate for the record that it was the Member for Iqaluit that was applauding his own speech there, that goes on the record.

Hear, hear again.

The Premier did make a commitment to the House during the last sitting of the Assembly to have a policy provided to the committees. Shortly after that this winter, I, as Minister of Public Works was directed by Cabinet to put together such a policy. The Department of Public Works has been working hard in putting one together. There is a draft policy that is ready for review by Cabinet and, still in its draft form, there is a plan to put this to the committees. So what is being asked for in the motion is being done already. The one thing I would like to clarify is that sole source contracts are governed by the government's contract regulations, so therefore there are no requirements, in our view, to deal with that. The majority of contracts are done under the public tender process so for the vast majority of contracts that the government does, more than 90 percent, there is no cause for concern.

There is the perception though, amongst a few of the MLAs and some of the business community that there is not enough accountability and transparency in the negotiated contracts area and we will look at that and we will give to MLAs the draft policy to review and give some input to. Thank you.

Thank you. Nothing in the rule book prevents Members from applauding themselves. Mr. Picco has every right to applaud himself. Thank you.

-- Laughter

To the motion. Mr. Erasmus.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I was going to speak in favour of this motion but considering the policy is already virtually drafted then perhaps it is more appropriate that the motion be withdrawn at this time. Thank you.

Thank you. I have Mr. Krutko. To the motion.

Thank you. If there are no other Members who wish to speak to the motion, I will allow the mover of the motion to put forward the final argument. Mr. Ootes.

Thank you. The honourable Member, the mover of the motion has indicated earlier that he requests a recorded vote. All those in favour of the motion, please stand up.

Mr. Ootes, Mr. Erasmus, Mr. Henry, Mrs. Groenewegen, Mr. Steen, Mr. Picco, Mr. Roland, Mr. Miltenberger.

Thank you. Down please. Opposed, please stand.

Mr. Krutko, Mr. Rabesca.

Thank you. All those abstaining, please stand.

Mr. Evaloarjuk, Mr. Barnabas, Mr. Enuaraq, Mrs. Thompson, Mr. Antoine, Mr. Todd, Mr. Arlooktoo, Mr. Dent.

Thank you. Can we have order here, please. The results, as follows. For the motion, eight. Against the motion, two. Abstentions, eight. The motion is carried. Thank you. Motions. Item 17, first reading of bills. Mr. Todd.

Thank you. The honourable Minister is seeking unanimous consent to proceed with his motion. Are there any nays? None. Proceed Mr. Todd.