The honourable Member for Kam Lake, Mr. Ramsay.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wish to report to the Assembly that the Standing Committee

on Economic Development and Infrastructure has reviewed Bill 15, An Act to Amend the Fire Prevention Act. The committee wishes to report that Bill 15 is now ready for consideration in Committee of the Whole. Thank you.

I wish to report to the Assembly that the Standing Committee on Economic Development and Infrastructure has reviewed Bill 18, An Act to Repeal the Settlements Act. The committee wishes to report that Bill 18 is now ready for consideration in Committee of the Whole. Thank you.

I wish to report to the Assembly that the Standing Committee on Economic Development and Infrastructure has reviewed Bill 19, Municipal Statutes Amendment Act. Bill 19 clarifies the process in making bylaw petitions, establishes guidelines for making municipal grants, and makes other miscellaneous amendments. The committee wishes to report that Bill 18 is now ready for consideration in Committee of the Whole. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. Bills 15, 18 and 19 will be moved into Committee of the Whole for consideration. The honourable Member for Mackenzie Delta, Mr. Krutko.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I seek unanimous consent to go back to item 5, recognition of visitors.

---Unanimous consent granted

The honourable Member for Mackenzie Delta, Mr. Krutko.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to take this opportunity to recognize two Pages in the House from the community of Tsiigehtchic representing the Paul Niditchie School: Vanessa Lennie and Jacob Gardlund. I’d like to thank them for their hard work all week and hopefully they had fun here, but more importantly, get an insight into what consensus government is all about. Again, I’d like to thank you for taking in the Page Program and wish you all the best as you travel back home. Mahsi.

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. If we’ve missed anyone in the gallery today, welcome to the Chamber.

Item 19, second reading of bills. Item 20, consideration in Committee of the Whole of bills and other matters: Tabled Document 4-16(5), Executive Summary of the Report of the Joint Review Panel for the Mackenzie Gas Project; Tabled Document 30-16(5), 2010 Review of Members’ Compensation and Benefits; Tabled Document 38-16(5), Supplementary Health Benefits

– What We Heard; Tabled Document 62-16(5), Northwest Territories Water Stewardship Strategy; Tabled Document 75-16(5), Response to the Joint Review Panel for the Mackenzie Gas Project on the Federal and Territorial Governments’ Interim Response to “Foundation for a Sustainable Northern Future”; Tabled Document 103-16(5), GNWT Contracts Over $5,000 Report, Year Ending March 31, 2010; Tabled Document 133-16(5), NWT Main Estimates 2011-2012; Tabled Document 135-16(5), Response to the Standing Committee on Social Programs Report on the Review of the Child and Family Services Act; Bill 4, An Act to Amend the Social Assistance Act; Bill 14, An Act to Amend the Conflict of Interest Act; Bill 17, An Act to Amend the Income Tax Act; Bill 20, An Act to Amend the Evidence Act; Minister’s Statement 65-16(5), Devolution Agreement-in-Principle, Impact on Land Claims and Protection of Aboriginal Rights; Minister’s Statement 88-16(5), Sessional Statement, with Mr. Krutko in the chair.

I’d like to call Committee of the Whole to order. In Committee of the Whole we are considering tabled documents 4, 30, 38, 62, 75, 103, 133, 135; Bills 4, 14, 17 and 20; and Ministers’ statements 65 and 88. What is the wish of committee? Mr. Beaulieu.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Committee wishes to continue with Tabled Document 133-16(5), NWT Main Estimates, 2011-12, and deal with the Housing Corporation.

Is committee agreed?

Okay. With that, we’ll take a short break.

---SHORT RECESS

I’d like to call Committee of the Whole back to order. Prior to the break we agreed that we will continue on with the NWT Housing Corporation. At this time I’d like to ask the Minister if he will be bringing in his witnesses. Minister Robert C. McLeod.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Yes, I would.

Does committee agree?

Sergeant-at-Arms, escort the witnesses in.

Mr. Minister, for the record, can you introduce your witnesses.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I have with me today, to my right, Mr.

Jeff Polakoff, president and CEO of the NWT Housing Corporation, and Mr. Jeff Anderson, vice-president of finance with the NWT Housing Corporation. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Minister. Welcome witnesses. We’re on page 5-47, executive, operations expenditure summary, information item. Mr. Yakeleya.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I want to ask the Minister how successful have they been in implementing their policy on negotiating contracts with the local communities in terms of putting houses in the communities. I know some places they go through the tendering process and some they have negotiated some of the work that the local contractors have. I want to ask the Minister if it’s been a successful approach or it gets complicated if you have other needs in the community that even questions are negotiated procedures.

Minister of Housing.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. We do get requests for negotiated contracts and we look at a few factors when we determine whether we’re going to follow through with the negotiated contracts. One of them, obviously, is the number of contractors that are in the community. If there are other contractors that have an opportunity to bid on the work if it goes public or if they’ve also submitted a request for a negotiated contract, we look at that. We look at past performance. If we’ve negotiated a contract before and the work and the timeliness of it has not been up to par, then that’s another factor we take into consideration.

Negotiated contracts are a way for a lot of the smaller communities especially to build capacity and what we’re finding and what we’re encouraged by is that some of the contractors in the smaller communities now have the capacity and the capability to bid on public tenders. But we continue to review each request as it comes in. Obviously, with the new building season coming up this summer we’re already starting to see some activity on that front and we’ll review them on a case-by-case basis. Thank you.

Certainly communities do look towards an opportunity to negotiate contracts when there’s support there for them to do so. Also, Mr. Chair, that some of the communities, when the packages do arrive in the communities, sometimes not all materials are in the packages and sometimes it’s difficult to get them in on a timely basis. Sometimes that hurts the contractor. It’s really nobody’s fault, it’s just the way some things are handled. Some of the contractors that I have spoken to who negotiated some of the work had said that some of the materials are not there to build a house or are missing, so they have to wait until it is ordered and go through a number of steps

before it actually arrives on site. I hope this is looked upon when they are asked again if they are asking to negotiate another unit with Housing. I know there are other factors that the Minister has indicated to the House here in terms of seeing if there is a possibility if they can negotiate or they go to a tender process.

Mr. Chairman, if materials and packages arriving in the community were ordered by the NWT Housing Corporation, then it would be our responsibility to ensure that we have the replacement material in there as quick as possible. The contractors would have an opportunity to be reimbursed or compensated by the Housing Corporation, especially if it is our fault the material is not there in time. However, if it was a supply ship direct and the contractor was responsible for getting material, then it would be the contractor’s responsibility. If it is the Housing Corporation’s responsibility, then we would take all steps to ensure that we get the material there quickly and the contractor is compensated for down time. Thank you.