Thank you. Mr. Premier.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Request for proposals are one way we go to a competitive process to get a service, whether it be offices or consultants. You need a service and the government goes out for a request for proposals. That is a competitive service. Any other way, Mr. Speaker, we go to strictly a tender call. Once you go to a tender call the lowest tender wins the job, as long as you apply or after you apply the Business Incentive Policy. Then, through the negotiated contracts everything in the negotiated contracts has to be public. It is part of the policy of this government. It has to be 100 percent northern and it has to benefit that community. It has to be local hire and it has to be public. If we do a negotiated contract in Yellowknife you have to say how much it is. You have to tell people about it. That is the way it is. You do not negotiate with two different parties for one contract at all. Thank you.

Thank you. He has also answered a lot of your questions too, Mr. Picco. Oral questions. Mr. Picco.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Premier. Two months ago in this House I gave Mr. Arlooktoo's department copies of RFPs in my community. My question is, why is there such a prevalence of RFPs? Right now, there is something like three to one RFPs requested instead of public tenders. Why the propensity? Thank you.

Mr. Premier.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I remember seeing that document because I was out in the hallway. It was given to Mr. Arlooktoo, he was the Minister in charge of DPW at that time, Mr. Speaker. I am sure all the documents are given over to Mr. Antoine, who is now the Minister of DPW. I am sure the Member will get an answer very shortly on that issue. Thank you.

Thank you. Oral questions. Supplementary, Mr. Picco

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I only refer to that document. My question was, why this propensity of RFPs? I think there is three to one now for public tender. Thank you.

Mr. Morin.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I do not know if it is three to one. I do know, where it is an outright tender when the government knows they need to buy ten boats they go to tender. When the government needs for the private sector to respond to the government's need and is unsure how they are going to respond, then you go to request for proposals. You calculate everything and then, you award through a competitive process. It is just simply government. Good government. What more can I say? Thank you.

Thank you. Oral questions. Supplementary, Mr. Picco.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. There has been a lot of talk in the House about accountability and transparency. I wonder if the Premier would commit to the House to, indeed, look into why there is such a prevalence of RFPs over publicly tendered contracts? Thank you.

Mr. Morin.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The competitive process of request for proposal and a public tender process, I will look at the numbers and compare them. Thank you.

Oral questions. Final supplementary, Mr. Picco

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Could the Premier commit to asking the individual departments the number of RFPs that are being issued as opposed to publicly tendered? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I will make that information available in the House. I will table it in the House.

Thank you. Question period is over. Item 7, written questions. Item 8, returns to written questions. Item 9, replies to opening address. Item 10, petitions. Item 11, reports of standing and special committees. Item 12, reports of committees on the review of bills. Item 13, tabling of documents. Mr. Ootes.

Thank you. Tabling of documents. Item 14, notices of motion. Item 15, notices of motions for first reading of bills. Mr. Arlooktoo.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I give notice that on Monday, February 9, 1998, I will move that Bill 10, Miscellaneous Statutes Amending Act, 1998, be read for the first time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you. Notices of motions for first reading of bills. Item 16, motions. Item 17, first reading of bills. Item 18, second reading of bills. Item 19, consideration in committee of the whole of bills and other matters. Bill 8, Appropriation Act, 1998-99; Committee Report 02-13(5), Committee Report 03-13(5); Committee Report 04-13(5); Committee Report 05-13(5); Tabled Document 15-13(5); Tabled Document 19-13(5). With Mrs. Groenewegen in the Chair.