Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Mr. Delorey.

Thank you. In a situation where somebody is working as a subcontractor through the general contractor and there is a dispute that arises there as far as the subcontractor not being paid or that sort of thing, what role does Transportation play in trying to resolve disputes between the general contractor and subcontractors? Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Delorey. Mr. McLeod.

Thank you, Madam Chair. First and foremost, we encourage the general contractor and the subcontractor to try to work out the arrangements. Our priority is to get the job done and ensure that the subcontractors and everybody is paid and on time. Anything further than that, there is a contract arrangement. There is the process of litigation. I don't believe we have a holdback in the process. So we can attempt to work along with the subs and the primary contractor, however, any arrangement between the general and the subcontractor is their responsibility.

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Mr. Delorey.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I don't know what the exact arrangement is, I assume that it is all government money if we get a contractor or a general contractor to do work. I would suspect that part of this responsibility in putting out administering the highways money would be to pay the contractors and work things out. Am I to understand that if a dispute arises, that Transportation would not get involved to try and solve a problem and force somebody to go to litigation to get the issue solved? Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Delorey. Mr. McLeod.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Madam Chair, we make every effort to ensure that the contractor pays the subcontractor. We do not have any holdback for the subs. Our arrangement is with the

general contractor. We do have a holdback requirement with the general contractor, we do not have one with the subs. Our legal obligation is with the general, and matters such as the one as the Member is referring to would have to be resolved if we can't come to a successful conclusion in the courts. We have really no authority to interfere and dictate how issues are to be resolved or how the contracts are drawn up. We do have a holdback that we can use, but the issue between a subcontractor and a general contractor is something that they have to work out.

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Mr. Delorey.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I would think that if a general is not performing and paying his contractors or subcontractors, that that would be an interest to Transportation for future bidding. I would certainly think that it would be in the best interest of the department to know how a general is paying his subcontractors and what the issues are. I would like to know, is there no process at all, does the department not even have a process to look at issues that are on the table, and, if not make any rulings on it, at least get some information as to how the whole operation is going? Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Delorey. Mr. McLeod.

Thank you, Madam Chair. As I indicated earlier, we make our best effort to mitigate and try to have the subcontractor and our contractor resolve the issue. Aside from that, we have no real authority to force a settlement from either party. The issue would more than likely be resolved in court. We have no mechanism in place in the department to stop a person from bidding on an upcoming project. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Mr. Delorey.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Just one more question then, Madam Chair. The Minister does say that they do their best to make sure the general pays their subcontractors, and that the project is going. What is involved in their best efforts in doing that? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Delorey. Mr. McLeod.

Madam Chair, our involvement is on a more informal level. We request that the two parties come together. We try to provide whatever resources they require, and we encourage them to resolve the issue between themselves. Failing that, we don't really have a lot of authority in terms of forcing anyone to resolve from one party or the other. That is the depth of our involvement.

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Total highways, $37.862 million. I have Mr. Hawkins.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Just for the record, we were talking in this area on the CAP program and I am referring to the Bear River Bridge. I call this location a distinct metaphor as in the "boonies," and I just want to assure the Member for Sahtu that I wasn't referring to that location in a negative context. So I just want to reaffirm that to the Member for Sahtu, who has left. Therefore, I just want to reference that it wasn't meant in a negative way. Thank you very much, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. I just want to remind the Members that you can't refer to the presence or absence of Members in the House, and we will pass your apology on to Mr. Yakeleya. Some people would think that the entire Northwest Territories is the "boonies," but your point is taken. Next on the list I have Mr. Villeneuve.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Going down the list of the highways, the infrastructure acquisition plans for the highways, and I am hoping that what I am seeing or maybe not seeing is a typo in that I am just wondering why Highway No. 6 is not included in that list. All of the other highways as I see are all included there, and Highway No. 6 between Deninu Kue and the Fort Smith junction now has become even more of a vital link for the community in the fact that people travel that highway everyday to go to the Hub of the North, Hay River, for medical attention, for dental, shopping, bingos and the like of everything that they can get in that centre. Noting that the collision rate on that highway is the sixth highest amongst all other highways in the NWT including all the winter roads in the 2002 NWT traffic accident statistics, I am wondering why Highway No. 6 was excluded out of the various other highway improvement programs that are listed in this infrastructure acquisition plan. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Villeneuve. Mr. McLeod.

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Mr. Villeneuve.

Thank you, Madam Chair. What criteria would the improvement of these highways constitute them being considered for some upgrades or improvements? Based on the fact that this highway, without any air service going into the community of Deninu Kue and the increase in traffic on that highway, and with the high incident rate of accidents on that highway now that there is no air service into the community, how would Highway No. 6...I see every other highway included on that list, and Highway No. 6 is the only one that isn't on that list. I can point out at least four or five of these other sections of highways that are a lot better than Highway No. 6 in its entirety. What criteria could the Minister provide that says we will just forget about Highway No. 6? Thank you.