Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yes, the department is aware there was some concern raised by the town of Hay River over the proposed consultation schedule in this first, preliminary consultation. Thank you.

Supplementary, Mr. Delorey.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, could the Minister inform this House if this board has a fiduciary responsibility to consult with all affected parties when a review is undertaken? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Minister of RWED, Mr. Bell.

Mr. Speaker, I think it's important to keep in mind that the board is simply going around to assess whether or not there is significant public concern and, if so, that would trigger the joint panel review. I think we probably all know that phase of the review is inevitable. This preliminary screening and work that they're doing now is just to confirm and hear from some of the people in the Northwest Territories what those concerns might be. Thank you.

Supplementary, Mr. Delorey.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, what action is the government willing to take or the Minister willing to take to ensure that the residents of Hay River have an opportunity to be heard by this review board? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Minister of RWED, Mr. Bell.

We are making sure that we follow the process and sit in on the meetings in order to hear public concerns, but I certainly take a lot of comfort in knowing and believing that this will go to phase two and there will be a joint panel review and, at that point, there will be significant opportunity not only for the residents of Hay River...I take the Member's point that Hay River stands to benefit hugely from a development of this nature and I think they're poised quite well to do so, but the board will hear from the residents of Hay River, it will hear from residents across the Northwest Territories and I'm certain will take their input and give it a lot of weight. Thank you.

Final supplementary, Mr. Delorey.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'm glad to hear that the Minister has confidence that the concerns will be addressed in phase two. But, Mr. Speaker, in the work plan for the environmental assessment of the Mackenzie Valley gas project it states very clearly that phase one of the review board will hold a series of public hearings in the Mackenzie Valley to gather evidence of any public concerns and determine which issues will be examined in detail during phase two. So if communities haven't got a chance to voice their concerns during phase one, how are they going to get in on phase two when it's specifically phase one that addresses what issues will be looked at in detail during phase two? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Minister of RWED, Mr. Bell.

Thank you. I believe that there will be a chance in phase two for all residents to bring forward their significant concerns and I will acknowledge that the concerns of Hay River may not be identical to the concerns of other communities. There are going to be issues specific in nature, but they won't be from left field. They are going to involve business opportunities, employment opportunities, environmental impacts and those sorts of things. I think the broadest categories of issues are being documented at this point. There will be plenty of room. As well, I'm certain that our department or the Government of the Northwest Territories will make an intervention and we plan to do so. We are an interested party in the cooperation plan. We will certainly make an intervention on behalf of all residents across the Northwest Territories. Thank you.

Item 6, oral questions. The Member for Range Lake, Ms. Lee.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Further to my Member's statement, my question today is for the Minister responsible for the Housing Corporation. Mr. Speaker, as I stated, there have been lots of less-than-good behaviour on the part of the Cabinet and the Housing Corporation in the way they have dealt with this. Mr. Speaker, I think that exempting BIP, exempting themselves from their own policy, requires a justification. We still have not been provided with any evidence that proves that to us. We still do not have any documents, although the Ministers have promised for the last week or so.

Second of all, I'm providing the Minister with information that tells us there are at least two, if not more, northern businesses who could do this, who could deliver the goods on time with or without BIP, who would have maximum economic spin-offs by creating jobs and building our tax money here and everything. So I would like to know -- the only thing I think they need is more time than three weeks to put together a plan for 45 homes -- if the Minister would consider extending the contract time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Minister responsible for the Housing Corporation, Mr. McLeod.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my information tells me that we have had over 30 tenders picked up today and of those 30, 17 are from the North. Now we will consider, we have committed in yesterday's question period, to reviewing this whole initiative with Cabinet on Thursday. There is going to be some concern because there are a number of tender documents being processed right now. However, if there is a concern raised by the Member needing more time, how much more time that is I'm not sure, we do have a real tight time frame in this situation. A portion of these units are intended to go onto the barges and we need to have them in place by September. We may be able to defer a portion of it. I can't say that with any certainty. We can certainly look at it, but at this point I can't make that commitment. Thank you.

Supplementary, Ms. Lee.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Among many anomalies in this process, one of the things I've learned also is that the tender documents that were put out for this contract did not even have specifications as to what exactly the Housing Corporation was looking for. They didn't even have square footage that they were looking for. I have no idea how the Housing Corporation or Cabinet do their calculations if they don't even know those kinds of assumptions or don't put them out there. I don't know how they expect the businesses to apply for it.

Anyway, okay. Thank you. Mr. Speaker...

---Laughter

I have been here long enough to know that the pressure on Cabinet is considerably lessened if we're not here to push them. I don't know if we're going to be here tomorrow. I am not going to take the word from the Minister. I would like to know if the Minister is really open and Cabinet is open to revisiting this situation, changing their minds and to extending this contract by two weeks. I'm asking for two weeks. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Minister responsible for the Housing Corporation, Mr. McLeod.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we're taking note of the concerns raised in Committee of the Whole and certainly in this House. We take all the questions very seriously. The question to defer by two weeks we will put forward. Our tendered document that the Member has referenced as not having a lot of detail, I'd like to point out to the Member that this document is something I'm prepared to table. It's a supply tender for commodity. It is not a construction contract. We are looking for a lowest-priced tender in this case. It does meet the technical requirements. The question again for the two weeks is something we may be able to accommodate. I would certainly take it seriously and bring it forward and respond as soon as possible. Thank you.

Supplementary, Ms. Lee.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I think the Minister mentioned there are lots of businesses that have picked up the tenders, but that doesn't necessarily mean that as many businesses are going to be able to actually meet the bidding requirements and have them back on April 2nd, because my understanding is the notice for this sort of project for these houses was so short and it was only for three weeks. Mr. Speaker, I'd also like to still know when he's prepared to give us the background information on which the Cabinet decided to waive the BIP. We still don't have that, Mr. Speaker. Thank you.

Minister responsible for the Housing Corporation, Mr. McLeod.