Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Could the Minister indicate last year, when there were reductions in speed limits on Highway No. 3, if this in fact was not taken to ensure the safety of our residents was protected? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Bell. The honourable Minister responsible for the Department of Transportation, Mr. Steen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, if I recall correctly, that was the main issue at that particular time, the safety situation on Highway No. 3. That is why we reduced the speed limits.

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

Thank you. I would just like the Minister to indicate that in fact, the condition of the road had deteriorated to such a point that it was necessary to reduce the speed limit in order to protect the safety of our residents. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Bell. The honourable Minister responsible for the Department of Transportation, Mr. Steen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the condition of the highway surface has a major impact on safety and on driving conditions. There is no doubt that when we reduced the speed limit, it was to reflect the conditions of the highway. It was also to reflect the type of traffic on the highway at that time. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Minister. Item 6, oral questions. The honourable Member for Mackenzie Delta, Mr. Krutko.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, yes, there are a number of processes in place to ensure that we are getting the best value for our dollar on contracts. As much as possible, through the Department of Public Works and Services, who have the expertise on assessing values and the engineering aspects of capital projects, we attempt to ensure that our projects come in within the estimates provided and on a timely target.

We cannot always control all of the circumstances though. There are always some projects that come in higher, some that may come in lower. I think we have a system that ensures, at least from an engineering and contracting perspective, that we are being as diligent as possible.

Thank you, Mr. Minister. Supplementary, Mr. Krutko.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to ask the Minister, exactly what is the reporting process to ensure you are doing what you say you are? Do we have a reporting process in which you file a report somewhere in this government, so we can see exactly how you are monitoring these activities to ensure the expenditures are justified and we are not wasting public funds by going through a public tendering process and then having to come back later and put more money into these different projects?

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

Mr. Speaker, I do not believe we have any one document that would detail all of the projects, showing exactly where they were over and under, but we do regular reports back. We have a system of audits. We would provide detail to anyone who may be concerned about a particular project on exactly what that project cost, where the money was spent and how it was spent. I think we have the capacity to do that. We do not do it and report it for every project we do in the government, I do not believe. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Minister. Supplementary, Mr. Krutko.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my concern here is what I am starting to see is there seems to be a trend that regardless of how low you bid on a contract, you get the contract, you know that does not matter if you go over that contract. The government will come forward with more money to extend that contract and also generate more revenues for the person who bid the lowest, yet the second bidder could have bid that same price and did not get the contract.

I would like to know, do you look at the possibility of a trend where people may be underbidding, knowing that if they get the work, this government is going to come back with increased dollars to extend that contract and generate more revenues for a contractor?

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we certainly want to ensure that companies do not do that. That is underbid in order to get a contract and then come back to us and say now we need a bunch more money. If that starts happening, then I am sure the Minister of Public Works and his staff would have serious concerns about that particular contractor and whether or not we would want to continue doing the project with them. Thank you.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, can the Minister commit to do some sort of an audit or review of the contracting practices of the government and the departments to ensure that practice is not being conducted?

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

Mr. Speaker, I can commit to taking that up with my colleague, the Minister for Public Works, and we would have to decide if we would want to do it right across government or do it on specific projects. I would like to discuss it with him since this is more related to Public Works' responsibility than Finance. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Minister. Item 6, oral questions. The honourable Member for Great Slave, Mr. Braden.