I am familiar with the on-the-job training program that the Member is referring to. I’m also familiar with the on-the-job training program that the federal Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development had back in the ‘80s and early ‘90s. Both programs were very successful in getting people to work for the government at the community level. As the Member correctly stated, in most cases these types of

training programs usually fall prey to budget cuts. But this would be something we’d be prepared to look at as part of our strategic planning.

Specifically related to the Public Service Career Training Program, it was never cut completely. In fact, after the budget cut there was still a significant amount of money left that was sent out to the regions specifically; it was going to be delivered at a regional level. Since then the program has just faded from the books.

I’m curious if the Minister could tell me where those dollars have gone. Can those dollars be re-profiled back into re-establishing the Public Service Career Training Program in the interest of residents of the Northwest Territories in smaller communities with the desire to get into the public service?

If I recall correctly where the money went, it eventually went into the regional departmental budgets, because the expectation was that training would be paid for as part of the normal course of doing business. So that’s where it went. I don’t think it’s an area where we can go back and track exactly where it went, to dig it back out and resurrect it. It would have to be looked at as part of the overall budget planning, strategic planning process.

My question is for the Minister of Education, Mr. Lafferty. It’s in regard to the area of staff housing. I know that Ms. Bisaro’s question is looking more in line with how we deliver the program. I’d just like to ask the Minister…. I know he mentioned last week that he is working on a pilot project in regard to providing staff housing. Mr. Speaker, we already have a policy in place developed by way of the previous government for market housing in communities. I’d just like to ask the Minister: why is he not using that initiative, instead of making decisions to go with a pilot project?

Mahsi, Mr.

Speaker.

I appreciate the Member’s asking that question. I did mention last week that our department is working with the Housing Corporation on a pilot project in one of the regions. If it’s successful, then we will continue working with other regions on the project itself. We are going with this as a third party, because we don’t get involved with staff housing. But we do what we can to work with the communities to find suitable, affordable housing in the communities.

Again, Mr. Speaker, I ask: what is the reason behind having to do a pilot project? A lot of the government staff housing was sold off to a lot of

development corporations. They purchased these assets strictly for staff, by way of teachers and that, in our communities. But yet the possibility of doing that is already in place.

I’d just like to ask the Minister: why aren’t you following existing programs and services to do exactly what you’re saying you’re going to do, without having to do a pilot project?

Mr. Speaker, that is what we’re doing with the communities. We are having the Housing Corporation assist with the development corporations to build units in the communities. With us, there are no ties, as we are the third party. We are assisting the communities in pursuing the building of these units for professionals in the communities, specifically for teachers, social workers and nurses in the communities as well. That’s what we’re doing as a department — our department, working with another department — to identify a solution in a community.

Mr. Speaker, this issue is not just familiar to one particular region, one particular community; this is a problem right across the Northwest Territories. Communities are trying to address this problem. They have, in most cases, put their own money into putting this infrastructure on the ground. To be fair to all communities on this issue, I’m not waiting ‘til a pilot project is assessed or done or completed.

Could the Minister commit to working with other development corporations throughout the Northwest Territories to improve the existing staff housing stock, and also to deliver more housing stock on the ground? They are already in place; they are already looking at doing it. It just needs some assistance from this government to be able to deliver on market housing in our non-market communities, by way of staff housing.

Mr. Speaker, the question is more coming down to the Housing Corporation, but we as a department will continue working with that issue. Yes, certainly, I’d like to reiterate I’ll be working with my colleague in the Housing Corporation and other Members. We are open for business, as well.

What we’re doing as a pilot project…. There’s one pilot project that’s on the way, and if another region wants to continue with that pilot project, then certainly we can sit down and discuss that as well. We’re open to that concept, and I’d like to move forward on that. That’s what we’re pursuing right now. Mahsi.

Final supplementary, Mr. Krutko.

Mr. Speaker, in regard to the quality and the condition of these units, as I say, most of

them were purchased from the government when they sold off our staff housing. Again, a lot of these units are aging over time, and I think we do have to bring them up to a certain rating. I’d like to ask the Minister, working with his colleague at the Ministry of Housing, if they can look at implementing a program to assist those communities and developers to upgrade those facilities and also expand them, so we can allow for more teachers and more resource people to be able to take advantage of these market housing initiatives in our communities.

Mahsi. Mr. Speaker, we can certainly take that into consideration, working with the development corporation at the community level, along with the Housing Corporation and our department. Mahsi.

Mr. Speaker, as many people will know, the Regular Members of the Legislative Assembly have been meeting lately to talk about ideas for strategic reductions, since the government has advised us that we need to find $135 million over the next two years. It’s been a very interesting discussion, and at some point our report and recommendations will be made public.

For those who don’t know, there’s a very interesting document available in our library. It’s called “Contracts Over $5,000.” It’s a public description of all contracts over $5,000. To anybody who wants some interesting reading material, I highly recommend it.

Lately, since we’ve been looking at ways to save money, I had Research pull together a list of contracts related to consulting companies that do not reside in the Northwest Territories. It’s very easy to identify those from outside the Territories.

We procure things such as strategic advice, consulting services — this is the description from the contract book — communication services, a review, strategic planning, case studies, support services, speaking engagements, diamond advisory. These ones, just from outside of the Territories, come to over $4.4 million for one year, in the fiscal year ended March 31, 2007.

I have a couple of questions for the Premier about the way these kinds of contracts are let. I would like to know, when Ministers decide they need some kind of support in the consulting area of a very generic type, as many of these are, what process do they have to go through to get that approved? Do you get to approve that, as the Premier?

Mr. Speaker, the Ministers would work through their department, if it is work on

behalf of the department — and I’d have to get a specific example. But through a department, the department can initiate that activity from direction given by the Minister, so I don’t get to review all of those areas for consulting contracts.

Mr. Speaker, the Premier said he’d have to have a specific example. Let me give you an example. “John Todd Holdings Ltd., consulting services, $48,000.” What kind of process goes into approving such a contract?

Mr. Speaker, I’m very familiar with that one, so I can inform the Member and this House about that process.

In trying to establish a contract with a firm, looking at what kind of work you want done and what you’re hoping to get the message out and the delivery on, in those cases one would approach — in my case, anyway — the Premier of the day to ask for advice in this area regarding the work that’s going to be undertaken.

In some cases that type of investment produces a much bigger benefit. If we want to get into that, I can talk about the $50 million it’s saved us as the Government of the Northwest Territories for having that strategic advice put in place.

Mr.

Speaker, so these

contracts are normally sole-sourced contracts, and we do spend a fair amount of money. I haven’t even gone into the ones where we hire people who actually reside in the Northwest Territories or who have their shingles hung out in the Northwest Territories.

In view of some of the need for cutbacks, does the Premier see any opportunity for savings on this particular type of discretionary spending?

Mr. Speaker, yes, I do.

Final supplementary, Mrs. Groenewegen.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I would like to ask the Premier, then, if he would also communicate to his Ministers and the departments that this may be an area where they might like to look for some savings that would contribute to that total amount that we need to save over the next two years, and if he would put some guidelines and some parameters in place to provide guidance and leadership for Ministers and other departments as well.

Mr. Speaker, as I’ve sat here and listened intently, I’m sure they wouldn’t want to be brought up to this floor with next year’s public accounts or contracts over $5,000 and be reminded of that.

It is something we are looking at, as well as departmental travel.

Mr.

Speaker, in my Member’s

statement, I spoke about the eyes of the world being on Vancouver during the 2010 Olympics. We did have a presence at the Canada Winter Games. I understood that had made some difference to the amount of tourism we had up here.

I’d like to direct my questions today to the Minister of ITI. I’d like to ask him if the department has a plan to have a presence in Vancouver during the 2010 Olympics.

Mr. Speaker, the Member is correct. We were very pleased with the outcome of our participation at the Canada Winter Games in Whitehorse; our partnerships with Nunavut and Yukon on the marketing campaign; our N.W.T. House; and the athletes and performers and youth ambassadors who were there.

It is our intention to do the same thing again in Vancouver. Our government has entered an MOU with the governments of Nunavut and Yukon again, as well as the 2010 Vancouver Olympic Committee, to participate in the 2010 Winter Olympics.

Mr. Speaker, I’d thank to thank the Minister for answering all four of my questions in one answer. I'm just trying to come up with something.

Laughter.

I’d like to ask the Minister if there’s a dollar figure attached to our participation in the MOU.