Thank you, Mr. Delorey. Item 3, Members' statements. Item 4, returns to oral questions. Item 5, recognition of visitors in the gallery. Ms. Lee.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. If I may, I would like to recognize the visitors from my riding. Aurora Williams on the far right, Brooke Harris, Dana Harris, Mickey Marshall, Kayla Chang, Andrea Hoover, James Williams. James and Aurora are the children of Tom Williams, who is the executive assistant to Minister Allen. Pam Williams is at the back, my assistant, Jean Wallace, and the mother of Brooke and Dana Harris, Melinda Harris. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Ms. Lee. Item 5, recognition of visitors in the gallery.

It is my pleasure to recognize the young people of the Rotary northern exchange group, along with their chaperone, Mr. Ports. The Rotary District 5370 of Alberta and the Northwest Territories has this exchange group every year about this time. The students come from areas such as Medicine Hat all the way to Peace River. With that, I would like to welcome the Rotary exchange group to the gallery.

-- Applause

Item 5, recognition of visitors in the gallery. The Member for Mackenzie Delta, Mr. Krutko.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to recognize Pat Thomas of the NWTTA. Welcome, Pat.

-- Applause

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. Item 5, recognition of visitors in the gallery. Item 6, oral questions. The honourable Member for Mackenzie Delta, Mr. Krutko.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister responsible for the Department of Finance. It is regarding my opening comments, and the consideration that we do have some obligations under land claim agreements.

Specifically, Mr. Speaker, the question I would like to ask the Minister is regarding a contract that was let for security-reception services in Inuvik. Chii Construction, who previously held the contract for three years, was surprised to find out that out of nine tenders, they came in seventh, despite having the lowest bid and the experience. They did not qualify for the bid. They asked for an appeal of the case, knowing they had the lowest bid and the experience. I believe the contract went to a taxidriver in Inuvik.

Mr. Speaker, knowing these are public funds that we block-fund to the Inuvik Regional Health Board to carry out their activities, why do they not have an appeal process so we can get the return on our investment? So we can get the best price for the services provided? In this case, I believe they had the best price, they had the experience, yet they were not awarded the contract.

I would like to ask the Minister responsible for Finance, what policies are in place to ensure there is an appeal process on all public funds allocated by this government?

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. The honourable Minister responsible for the Department of Finance, Mr. Handley.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am pleased to be able to tell the Member that, although I am not familiar with this specific contract, through the Financial Management Board Secretariat, we are doing a thorough review of all of our procurement practices. This process is now in its final stages. I am sure the issues regarding appeals procedures and so on will be taken into consideration as we move along with the recommendations from the procurement review, which is currently underway. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Handley. Supplementary, Mr. Krutko.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It is good to know we are looking at it, but my problem is that this incident is at hand. Do we have a way to allow these people to appeal the case? In my opening statement, I made reference to the board that reviewed these applications, yet there was not one aboriginal person present when they did the review.

Because we have an obligation in the land claims agreements, which is chapter 10 on economic measures, this government has some obligations. Will the Minister tell me what his department will do to see if there is an opportunity to review the case at hand?

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. The honourable Minister responsible for the Department of Finance, Mr. Handley.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am not familiar with the details of this specific contract, so I will take it as notice.

Thank you, Mr. Handley. The question has been taken as notice. Item 6, oral questions. The honourable Member for Thebacha, Mr. Miltenberger.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question was going to be directed to the Premier, however I will redirect it to the Deputy Premier. It was indicated in this House by the Premier that summer student employment within the Government of the Northwest Territories would be handled out of the office of the Executive. If there were resumes, they should be sent to that office.

Given the fact that universities and colleges will be adjourning for the summer in about five weeks, I would like to ask the Deputy Premier if she would commit to tabling a list in this House of all of the available casual positions in government by community, so students coming off the plane will know what is available for the students that are returning.

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. The honourable Deputy Premier, Mrs. Jane Groenewegen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. If I understand correctly, the Member is asking for a listing of all of the jobs within the various communities by department available for students returning from post-secondary education. Mr. Speaker, that sounds like a good idea. I do not know of anything that would stand in the way of doing that, putting the list together and contacting the departments to find out what their needs are over the course of the summer. Perhaps the Member would like to clarify that is in fact what he is looking for. Thank you.

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. Supplementary, Mr. Miltenberger.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Am I able to direct my supplementary to the Premier?

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. No, the rules allow it to be directed to the one person. The Premier is allowed to direct it to someone else. That is the only option.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I will direct my supplementary to the Deputy Premier. Just to clarify my request, I would like to have tabled in the House a list of specific positions that can be targeted within departments for summer student employment for students returning from school. A list of positions in all the communities where there is government. Whether the Deputy Premier would commit to tabling that so we have that information, and that information can, in fact, be sent out to the communities and students, so they will know what the opportunities are. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. The honourable Deputy Premier, Mrs. Jane Groenewegen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, not knowing exactly how much work might be involved with that, and how providing the information might coincide with the House sitting, the Member is asking for it to be tabled. Perhaps what we could do is come to some agreement as to when we could have the information available for the Member as opposed to when we could table that information, and also discuss the timeframe in which we could do that. Thank you.

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. Supplementary, Mr. Miltenberger.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Of course, like the Deputy Premier, I am a reasonable individual. I am more than prepared to try and do what is best. I would like to ask the Deputy Premier if she could indicate whether departments have specific positions put aside? Given students will be returning in five weeks, I am assuming the government already has the wheels in motion to take care of this business, to have this information collated and available. I am concerned that it may be an onerous process, and one that may go on. I would like to have some clarification from the Deputy Premier.