Thank you, Mr. Bell. The honourable Premier, Mr. Kakfwi.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I believe it is fair to suggest that when the government takes action with contracts that, as much as possible, we should provide detail to rationalize the decision we take. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Premier. Supplementary, Mr. Bell.

Thank you. I agree detail should be provided but I just want his commitment that it is not enough to say that work was required urgently. That is not the criteria. The criteria is that work was required urgently and the delay would be injurious to the public interest. Would the Premier not agree that the delay being injurious to the public interest should be stipulated and shown? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Bell. The honourable Premier, Mr. Kakfwi.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I will take the question as notice and review the policies so I am able to answer the question. Thank you.

The remaining question has been taken as notice. Item 6, oral questions. The honourable Member for Inuvik Boot Lake, Mr. Roland.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my question follows on the earlier question I had, but this time will be directed to the Minister of the Housing Corporation. I am aware his department has been involved in this planning process. In fact, the plan was developed and talked to with the seniors' group in Inuvik, but it was unsatisfactory to them as the location was in quite a different spot. I had not been aware until recently that this is still an ongoing concern, so I would like to know from the Minister as to what state the plan is in at this time. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Roland. The honourable Minister responsible for the NWT Housing Corporation, Mr. Allen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Minister of Finance gave a brief synopsis of where we were in this project. I would like to inform the Member as well as the House that we are continuing to discuss the logical site for the Seniors' Society. We did give them some initial monies to do some research on a probable site. We recommended a site east of the current Happy Valley Campground. It adjoins it. Also, to identify some seniors in need as well as looking at the overall operations and maintenance cost.

I am not certain exactly where they are at this moment but I am prepared to again meet with them on Thursday while I am in my constituency. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Minister. Supplementary, Mr. Roland.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Can the Minister inform us, as this has been developing, the stage they are at? For example, is their work going to be funded this upcoming year? Is that in the plans? That requires some urgency. They have been working on it and been told that it has been moving ahead. It was identified as a nine-unit complex, so where is it in those plans?

If in fact it does go ahead, we all realize, again, everything is based on the approvals of this House, but they have been working to a certain goal here and would like to know, where are we in these plans? That ties into the fact of trying to get the land situation cleared up as soon as possible.

Thank you, Mr. Roland. The honourable Minister responsible for the NWT Housing Corporation, Mr. Allen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yes, the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation has been trying to lead a discussion to find a resolution to this site. That has been held up because the proposed construction is in the year 2002-03. We hope we can get the seniors to agree to a site and we will begin the geotech work on a proposed site location. Thank you. Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Minister. Supplementary, Mr. Roland.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Can the Minister inform us, since we know that it is a nine-unit complex, if there has already been a design, one that would take into consideration a footprint of the building? Also, if that is going to determine the location in certain instances? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Roland. The honourable Minister responsible for the NWT Housing Corporation, Mr. Allen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The design concept was at least reviewed at one point. Whether it has been ongoing, I cannot answer, but I will have a definite answer come Thursday. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Minister. Final supplementary, Mr. Roland.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Minister did inform us he would be meeting with the seniors' group in Inuvik. We had the Minister of RWED confirm he would have his staff in attendance. Can we expect a result from this meeting as to something concrete, maybe a plan that will finalize the location? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Roland. The honourable Minister responsible for the NWT Housing Corporation, Mr. Allen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yes, that is our objective. I feel we have to begin to try to finalize some of the preliminary details. It is coming upon us fast.

I think there is a silver lining here in the fact that the location has a good view of the access to the Mackenzie Delta and the mountains, which the seniors wanted. We are prepared to help them take a look at some conceptual designs and drawings. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Minister. Item 6, oral questions. The honourable Member for Yellowknife South, Mr. Bell.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is for the Premier and it is about sole-source contracting. One of the other criteria, Mr. Speaker, that our government uses when determining that a sole-source contract should be awarded is that only one party is available and capable of performing the contract.

Mr. Speaker, it seems to me that this would not be a valid reason for foregoing competition because obviously, if only one party is available and capable, they are going to win in a public tender.

Would the Premier agree that this criterion should only ever be used or invoked very selectively and only in the very rarest of circumstances? Thank you.