Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, this is going to be an exciting day for the Minister of Infrastructure, as a number of us today have statements on procurement.

Mr. Speaker, I have raised numerous complaints around the procurement policies of this government. It is adversely impacting my constituents and the constituents of many other MLAs across the territory. It is time that we take a look at these policies and make them work for the people of the Northwest Territories, not for the Department of Infrastructure. It's time that we invest in the North and use procurement as a way to grow the economy, create jobs, and enrich businesses. Also, to develop their capacity. This Minister continues to ignore these requests from this side of the House. This Minister continues to say there are no problems. How many problems do we need to bring to his doorstep until he'll take action?

Well, we'll see, Mr. Speaker, because I have another issue I'd like to raise today. The current policy around payments, progress payments from our government for work completed, is you're only allowed to receive progress payments if you can post a supply bond that is not less than 100 per cent of the contract value. What small businesses can afford that, Mr. Speaker? While they lack progress payments, they need to come up with the capital to complete these projects. This is an untenable situation for many small businesses. The current policy strains cash flow, especially for small businesses that still have to meet payroll, pay taxes, pay WSCC premiums and other costs.

This is so bad it has forced some businesses into insolvency in some cases, and certainly discourages them from competing on RFP processes. The current policy stymies job creation and restricts investment in apprenticeship training. The construction industry alone accounts for 40 per cent of all apprenticeships in Canada, as trade contractors must limit their payroll commitments to meet cash flow expectations. Late payment practices erode the level playing field, as those who maintain honourable practices are put at a disadvantage.

These issues around payment are not secret, Mr. Speaker. They are well-known to the Minister. They are well-known to the department, and they are well-known to me and to other Members of this House. It's time to stop sleeping at the wheel on procurement issues. It's time to turn procurement into an economic engine for the people of the Northwest Territories. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.