This is page numbers 695 - 716 of the Hansard for the 14th Assembly, 5th Session. The original version can be accessed on the Legislative Assembly's website or by contacting the Legislative Assembly Library. The word of the day was project.

Topics

Further Return To Question 226-14(5): Reducing North Slave Correctional Project Costs
Question 226-14(5): Reducing North Slave Correctional Project Costs
Item 6: Oral Questions

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The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

Thank you, Mr. Minister. Item 6, oral questions. The honourable Member for North Slave, Mr. Lafferty.

Leon Lafferty North Slave

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is for the Deputy Premier, the Honourable Jim Antoine. In documents the Legislative Assembly gives to the public on our unique system of governance, it states that any decision made in consensus government involves approval by the majority of Members. This is the definition of consensus government and the way we should be operating as the Legislative Assembly.

I would like to ask the Minister, when will Cabinet involve all 19 Members in the decision-making process to ensure that we are a consensus government? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. The honourable Deputy Premier, Mr. Antoine.

Return To Question 227-14(5): Achieving Consensus Government
Question 227-14(5): Achieving Consensus Government
Item 6: Oral Questions

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Jim Antoine Nahendeh

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, this government, generally and overall since the beginning of this Legislative Assembly, has tried very hard to involve all Members in making the major decisions. I think that we have done fairly well. We have gotten this far, over halfway through our term with a lot of work together on a lot of issues.

Of course, there are differences of opinions on a lot of different issues and how things should be moving along. I think we have tried everything we could at different times. Perhaps we could have tried a little harder on some of the bigger issues like the tax issues, in trying to get everyone on board. In some instances, things did not work out.

Generally and overall, I think this government has involved the Members as much as we can to try to reach consensus on a lot of the major issues that we are working on today. Thank you.

Return To Question 227-14(5): Achieving Consensus Government
Question 227-14(5): Achieving Consensus Government
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 705

The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

Thank you, Mr. Deputy Premier. Supplementary, Mr. Lafferty.

Supplementary To Question 227-14(5): Achieving Consensus Government
Question 227-14(5): Achieving Consensus Government
Item 6: Oral Questions

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Leon Lafferty North Slave

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In a short little while, we have had strategies that were put forward by Cabinet; the Highway Strategy, Corridors for Canada, the Hydro Strategy, the Energy Strategy -- all of these were Cabinet initiatives. Cabinet did not come to Regular Members for any input before they did this.

I would like to ask the Deputy Premier, will he ensure that all of the Regular Members are included in the government's decision-making process before a plan is chosen in the future, like the tax? Can the Minister do that?

Supplementary To Question 227-14(5): Achieving Consensus Government
Question 227-14(5): Achieving Consensus Government
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 705

The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. The honourable Deputy Premier, Mr. Antoine.

Further Return To Question 227-14(5): Achieving Consensus Government
Question 227-14(5): Achieving Consensus Government
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 705

Jim Antoine Nahendeh

Certainly, Mr. Speaker. As a government, we need to have latitude to try to develop some plans. As a government, we have a responsibility to make sure that our budget is in place and that we follow it as much as we can for major initiatives that are required up here, especially the infrastructure money; we all need that.

You look at our highways today and they are in dire need of repair. If you travel Highway No. 7 into my region recently, it is all soup. It is very difficult to travel in that area. Major initiatives such as infrastructure, we certainly need to try to find different ways of trying to get additional dollars from the feds.

Taxation is one thing where we as a government have a responsibility to try to get more revenue from the people who make big dollars up here as we can, by the road toll, which is an example of one thing that fell by the wayside. However, certainly I think we are trying everything we can, Mr. Speaker, to include Ordinary Members in all the major decisions. If that is not the case, tell us which area you think we need to be more involved in and we will try to have better communications and closer working relations in those areas. Thank you.

Further Return To Question 227-14(5): Achieving Consensus Government
Question 227-14(5): Achieving Consensus Government
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 705

The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

Thank you, Mr. Antoine. Supplementary, Mr. Lafferty.

Supplementary To Question 227-14(5): Achieving Consensus Government
Question 227-14(5): Achieving Consensus Government
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 705

Leon Lafferty North Slave

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As the Members from the other side know, for two-and-a-half years I have been talking about roads and about the strategies that have been put in place by Cabinet with no input. Whenever the Minister had input from us, we all agreed we did pretty good projects together.

I would like to ask the Deputy Premier if he will ensure that his Ministers will talk with the Regular Members whenever they are doing any projects out there. Thank you.

Supplementary To Question 227-14(5): Achieving Consensus Government
Question 227-14(5): Achieving Consensus Government
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 705

The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. The honourable Deputy Premier, Mr. Antoine.

Further Return To Question 227-14(5): Achieving Consensus Government
Question 227-14(5): Achieving Consensus Government
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 705

Jim Antoine Nahendeh

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, with something like this topic that the honourable Member is talking about, it is certainly very important to have everyone involved. There are a lot of areas where we as a government work with the Ordinary Members through their standing committees to try and have a good government.

There are major initiatives out there that are evolving and we do not know whether we are going to get funding in some areas or not. Certainly, as of this point, we need to work closely together. I will say yes to the Member that we will make sure that the Ministers, whenever they are working on major initiatives, include the Ordinary Members in the decision-making we need to get done. Thank you.

Further Return To Question 227-14(5): Achieving Consensus Government
Question 227-14(5): Achieving Consensus Government
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 706

The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

Thank you, Mr. Deputy Premier. Final supplementary, Mr. Lafferty.

Supplementary To Question 227-14(5): Achieving Consensus Government
Question 227-14(5): Achieving Consensus Government
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 706

Leon Lafferty North Slave

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to ask the Deputy Premier if he can ensure that all of his Cabinet Ministers get a briefing on how consensus government works. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

-- Laughter

-- Applause

Supplementary To Question 227-14(5): Achieving Consensus Government
Question 227-14(5): Achieving Consensus Government
Item 6: Oral Questions

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The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. The honourable Deputy Premier, Mr. Antoine.

Further Return To Question 227-14(5): Achieving Consensus Government
Question 227-14(5): Achieving Consensus Government
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 706

Jim Antoine Nahendeh

Yes. Thank you.

Further Return To Question 227-14(5): Achieving Consensus Government
Question 227-14(5): Achieving Consensus Government
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 706

The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

Thank you for that short answer. Item 6, oral questions. The honourable Member for Range Lake, Ms. Lee.

Question 228-14(5): Suspension Of The Business Incentive Policy
Item 6: Oral Questions

June 10th, 2002

Page 706

Sandy Lee

Sandy Lee Range Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question goes to the Minister responsible for Public Works regarding the cancellation of the BIP policy. I was listening carefully to answers that the Minister was giving to my colleague, Mr. Braden, and I am still not convinced at all that the cost-benefit analysis of this works to lifting this policy.

Mr. Speaker, could the Minister indicate what evidence he has that shows that the lifting of this policy would result in a reduction in the cost of building this facility? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

Thank you, Ms. Lee. The honourable Minister responsible for the Department of Public Works and Services, Mr. Steen.

Return To Question 228-14(5): Suspension Of The Business Incentive Policy
Question 228-14(5): Suspension Of The Business Incentive Policy
Item 6: Oral Questions

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Vince Steen

Vince Steen Nunakput

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, this is exactly the type of question that we have in our minds as Cabinet Ministers, and the department also. We do not know. We do not know the effect of BIP on our project at this point in time, but we believe that it does have an effect on the economy as a whole. We believe that everything is inflated due to the BIP.

However, we are not putting this forward to test the waters, so to speak. What we are doing is trying to find out if in fact there is a connection between the cost increase on our projects and the BIP. We are aware that other authorities, such as the city, for instance, have been experiencing cost overruns as well, even though they do not have any relation to BIP. We are trying to find out if in fact this is going to result in more bids and better bids. Thank you.

Return To Question 228-14(5): Suspension Of The Business Incentive Policy
Question 228-14(5): Suspension Of The Business Incentive Policy
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 706

The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

Thank you, Mr. Minister. Supplementary, Ms. Lee.

Supplementary To Question 228-14(5): Suspension Of The Business Incentive Policy
Question 228-14(5): Suspension Of The Business Incentive Policy
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 706

Sandy Lee

Sandy Lee Range Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, with all due respect to the Minister, this sounds so absurd. I wonder if the Minister would just listen to what he is saying. The Cabinet has decided to cancel their own policy, one of the hallmarks of this government, with all its faults, the Business Incentive Policy. They have thrown it out the window and they are reaching in the dark to see if maybe this will save us money, but the Minister is saying to us he does not know that for sure. This is just so absurd.

Why is it so difficult for the department to figure out what the cost of this project is and how much impact BIP has? Why is that so difficult?

Supplementary To Question 228-14(5): Suspension Of The Business Incentive Policy
Question 228-14(5): Suspension Of The Business Incentive Policy
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 706

The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

Thank you, Ms. Lee. The honourable Minister responsible for the Department of Public Works and Services, Mr. Steen.

Further Return To Question 228-14(5): Suspension Of The Business Incentive Policy
Question 228-14(5): Suspension Of The Business Incentive Policy
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 706

Vince Steen

Vince Steen Nunakput

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, Public Works has taken on face value the fact that we were to assume that it was a 20 percent increase on this bid because of BIP. We had automatically assumed that because we believe that people are bidding the 20 percent, knowing that they can bid higher relative to bids coming from down south.

However, we do not know that until we get bids that we can see and then compare. If in fact the bids that we received from down south on this project are the same as the bids, or relatively the same as the bids, we received from the northern contractors, we would then know that BIP has very little effect.

Further Return To Question 228-14(5): Suspension Of The Business Incentive Policy
Question 228-14(5): Suspension Of The Business Incentive Policy
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 706

The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

Thank you, Mr. Minister. Supplementary, Ms. Lee.