This is page numbers 649 - 700 of the Hansard for the 17th Assembly, 3rd 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 education.

Topics

Question 57-17(3): Risks Associated With Indoor Tanning
Oral Questions

Tom Beaulieu

Tom Beaulieu Tu Nedhe

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yes, the department is aware of the dangers of sun tanning on a tanning bed, and the department is

currently developing regulations under the Public Health Act. Thank you.

Question 57-17(3): Risks Associated With Indoor Tanning
Oral Questions

Robert Hawkins

Robert Hawkins Yellowknife Centre

When is it anticipated that the regulations will be coming forward for some type of dialogue, whether it is through MLAs or certainly out to the public? There is public out there who do want these types of things. They would certainly find that this is good news that this is something being worked on by the government. Thank you.

Question 57-17(3): Risks Associated With Indoor Tanning
Oral Questions

Tom Beaulieu

Tom Beaulieu Tu Nedhe

Mr. Speaker, the regulations will include banning the use of tanning beds by minors and also requiring an establishment to have health warnings posted, and those regulations are expected to be done early this summer and enforced within six months. Thank you.

Question 57-17(3): Risks Associated With Indoor Tanning
Oral Questions

Robert Hawkins

Robert Hawkins Yellowknife Centre

Mr. Speaker, that is certainly good news by all accounts. When can we expect some type of public dialogue on this change of thinking? I don’t believe that tanning is a good thing, but many people will want some type of public discussion on this, at least information on the issues and changes coming forward. Quite simply put, is there a public component to the shifts in policy thinking? How does the public get more information? Thank you.

Question 57-17(3): Risks Associated With Indoor Tanning
Oral Questions

Tom Beaulieu

Tom Beaulieu Tu Nedhe

Mr. Speaker, I’m not sure we are going to do public consultation on the changes to the public act concerning sun tanning, but we can provide other methods of communications to the public on these changes. Thank you.

Question 57-17(3): Risks Associated With Indoor Tanning
Oral Questions

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu. Final, short supplementary, Mr. Hawkins.

Question 57-17(3): Risks Associated With Indoor Tanning
Oral Questions

Robert Hawkins

Robert Hawkins Yellowknife Centre

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wouldn’t want the Minister to mix this point up, which is I am certainly in favour of the regulation change. But wouldn’t legislation be more of a smarter approach, as well, as it almost seems as if the public is going to be told this is not allowed anymore as opposed to be informed or given a little bit of information in advance? It seems counterproductive for the style of government we would normally have. It seems as if the public component is being left out. I am happy with the direction but my point has been made. Thank you.

Question 57-17(3): Risks Associated With Indoor Tanning
Oral Questions

Tom Beaulieu

Tom Beaulieu Tu Nedhe

I think that it’s going to be like banning minors from using the beds and there will be warnings posted for others who continue to use it. Individuals for that will be advised that they are not allowed to use the beds or just warn that using the beds could be an issue. We will be communicating that through a press release or something of that nature as opposed to taking this legislation on the road. Thank you.

Question 57-17(3): Risks Associated With Indoor Tanning
Oral Questions

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu. The honourable Member for Inuvik Boot Lake, Mr. Moses.

Question 58-17(3): Implementation Of Business Incentive Policy
Oral Questions

Alfred Moses

Alfred Moses Inuvik Boot Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As much as I would like to continue questioning the Minister of Health on some of these questions, this is a bigger issue. It comes down to the Business Incentive Policy. My question today is for the Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment. I just want to know, when RFPs come through to the government, who scores the BIP process of that RFP. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Question 58-17(3): Implementation Of Business Incentive Policy
Oral Questions

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Mr. Moses. The honourable Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment, Mr. Ramsay.

Question 58-17(3): Implementation Of Business Incentive Policy
Oral Questions

Kam Lake

David Ramsay

David Ramsay Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I thank the Member for that question. I’m glad to have an opportunity to talk about the Business Incentive Policy. That is a policy of the GNWT. We certainly have that under our mandate of ITI, but when it comes to evaluating RFPs, it is left up to each department to oversee the implementation of the Business Incentive Policy. Thank you.

Question 58-17(3): Implementation Of Business Incentive Policy
Oral Questions

Alfred Moses

Alfred Moses Inuvik Boot Lake

Mr. Speaker, so I guess it is kind of safe to say that when the BIP process is being scored, they are not scored the same from department to department or person to person or committee to committee, so there are some discrepancies on how this BIP policy actually works in all the departments within this government.

How can the Minister justify that a local company loses a contract to a southern company when the whole objective of the BIP process is to allow our local contractors a greater chance of securing these contracts and keeping the money in the North as well as creating jobs for our northern people? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Question 58-17(3): Implementation Of Business Incentive Policy
Oral Questions

Kam Lake

David Ramsay

David Ramsay Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment

Mr. Speaker, I agree with the Member. I think that is first and foremost with the Business Incentive Policy, is to keep money in the North, to keep jobs in the North.

Back in 2010 there was extensive consultation with the business community in the Northwest Territories on some revisions to the Business Incentive Policy. One of those revisions back in 2010 was the definition of NWT content which allows bid adjustments. In the case of services, one of those changes was NWT resident labour. In this case, that was applied to the RFP but we have to remember that was only 20 percent of the overall RFP. There was methodology, past relevant experience, contract schedule fees and expenses. It is certainly something we have to pay attention to, but that change was brought into effect to help protect jobs in the Northwest Territories.

In this instance, it would appear that, yes, it is protecting jobs because the contractor is going to employ local people, but if you follow the dollars,

that contractor is located in Red Deer, Alberta, and the contract money would be going south. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Question 58-17(3): Implementation Of Business Incentive Policy
Oral Questions

Alfred Moses

Alfred Moses Inuvik Boot Lake

Mr. Speaker, I spoke earlier about being transparent and this government preaches transparency. Would the Minister be willing to look at making all contracts that come through this government and through the departments and the process of the BIP, when those scores come out, if he is willing to make those public so that all contractors and the public know where their tax dollars are being spent, and how this government reviews the BIP policy, and whether or not they are being effective and efficient in awarding the contracts to the right people? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Question 58-17(3): Implementation Of Business Incentive Policy
Oral Questions

Kam Lake

David Ramsay

David Ramsay Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment

Mr. Speaker, the Business Incentive Policy is a policy of the Government of the Northwest Territories. If Members of this House want to revisit the Business Incentive Policy, is there a loophole here that allowed a southern company to get a contract in Inuvik? If that is the case, then if Members of this House want to have another look at the Business Incentive Policy, it is under the purview of this Assembly to do that.

I understand the Member’s concerns. I want to let him know and other Members know that we are willing to work with Members to try to shore up the policy so that situations like this don’t arise again. Thank you.

Question 58-17(3): Implementation Of Business Incentive Policy
Oral Questions

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. Final, short supplementary, Mr. Moses.

Question 58-17(3): Implementation Of Business Incentive Policy
Oral Questions

Alfred Moses

Alfred Moses Inuvik Boot Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’m glad that the Minister had mentioned that. In speaking with my constituent, all he wanted was fairness. He wanted fairness for all northern contractors and he wanted to be a voice to say look, there is something wrong with this process. He wants any northern contractors who lose a contract within this government to seek answers and not just accept it for what it is. That is a message to all northern contractors to look for answers and know why they didn’t win the contracts.

With that said, I would like to ask the Minister if he is willing to do an overall training within departments on how this Business Incentive Policy is scored. Is he willing to do that training so that all departments know how to score a Business Incentive Policy and we don’t go through this again in the future? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Question 58-17(3): Implementation Of Business Incentive Policy
Oral Questions

Kam Lake

David Ramsay

David Ramsay Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment

Mr. Speaker, that level of training already happens across government, but certainly in questioning my colleague Minister Beaulieu earlier, Minister Beaulieu had committed to a post-mortem on this situation.

Certainly from ITI’s perspective, the department responsible for the Business Incentive Policy, we

will be taking an active role in that post-mortem and sitting down with the Members to examine this situation and going forward to ensure that this doesn’t happen again. Thank you.

Question 58-17(3): Implementation Of Business Incentive Policy
Oral Questions

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. Item 8, written questions. Mr. Hawkins.

Written Question 2-17(3): Negotiated, Sole-Source Or Similar Contracts
Written Questions

Robert Hawkins

Robert Hawkins Yellowknife Centre

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’ve got one written question today.

Would the Minister of Transportation please provide details for all negotiated, sole-source or similar types of contracts which are being arranged or have been entered into since he became Minister of Transportation? Please include specific details such as prices, location, scope of work and successful contractors for the past three years. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Written Question 2-17(3): Negotiated, Sole-Source Or Similar Contracts
Written Questions

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. Item 9, returns to written questions. Item 10, replies to opening address. Item 11, replies to budget address. Item 12, petitions. Item 13, reports of standing and special committees. Item 14, reports of committees on the review of bills. Item 15, tabling of documents. Mr. Abernethy.

Tabled Document 9-17(3): Technical Report – Analysis Of Federal Bill C-10, Safe Streets And Communities Act: Impacts On The NWT Department Of Justice
Tabling of Documents

Glen Abernethy

Glen Abernethy Great Slave

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wish to table the following document, entitled “Technical Report – Analysis of Federal Bill C-10, Safe Streets and Communities Act: Impacts on the NWT Department of Justice.” Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Tabled Document 9-17(3): Technical Report – Analysis Of Federal Bill C-10, Safe Streets And Communities Act: Impacts On The NWT Department Of Justice
Tabling of Documents

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Mr. Abernethy. Mr. Ramsay.

Tabled Document 10-17(3): Agriculture Products Marketing Council 2011-12 Annual Report
Tabling of Documents

David Ramsay

David Ramsay Kam Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wish to table the following document, entitled “Agriculture Products Marketing Council 2011-12 Annual Report.” Thank you, Mr. Speaker.