Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As I indicated in the House before, Hay River is having difficulties getting permanent doctors. Speaking with the health board there, they’ve indicated there is also a barrier to funding. The fact is that there is a budget for doctors, but it doesn’t allow them to hire additional nurse practitioners and additional

professionals in the community because the dollars are allocated for doctors. My question today is for the Minister of Health. Why is this barrier in place? I guess that is the first question. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Over the weekend I was happy to visit with many people from Hay River that were in Yellowknife for several sporting events. Last week several of my colleagues from this side as well as the Ministers’ indicated that we need to support volunteers in the North and make sure that we encourage people to be more active. I’d like to take this opportunity to tell those people that I think that’s strong in the North, after seeing the many activities this weekend.

Minor hockey has three tournaments in Yellowknife, one in Hay River, and I know it took a great number of volunteers to run these tournaments and there were hundreds of youth that were actively playing their hearts out. I also know that there was a swim meet, a badminton tournament and a volleyball

tournament. As well, the GNWT employees had a curling bonspiel this weekend. I know that there were many other events throughout the North and I would like to take this opportunity to thank all those people that helped organize and all those people that participated.

Sports are a healthy way for us to promote our people and to make active living and healthy lives. I’d like to thank everybody for their hard work. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I appreciate the Minister’s comments. My next question is along those lines. How do we encourage the different departments to break down those contracts? Like I had indicated in my Member’s statement, I am concerned that at this level we’re having difficulties getting maximization from northern businesses. When we get into larger projects, how are we going to deal with that? How can we encourage the GNWT and departments to break down these contracts to maximize the northern businesses?

Another area of concern that some of the businesses in my riding of Hay River expressed is the bundling of packages. The departments may have a larger project that includes everything. When they’re building a road, they may include the signage. They may have an engineering contract that includes the drilling. My question to the Minister is: How does the Business Incentive Policy extend to subcontractors that are working for the companies that have the actual contract with the GNWT?

I’m looking forward to that information. My next question is concerning, as my colleague for Hay River South had indicated yesterday, we’ve had some businesses that have been trying to talk to some of the different departments about the services they provide. This may be something the Minister may need to get information on, as well, but how are the different departments informed of the new products and services that companies in the Northwest Territories are added to the Business Incentive Policy listing, I guess?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As I indicated in my statement, I am quite concerned with the implementation of the Business Incentive Policy and the northern manufacturing policy. My question today is for the Minister of ITI and it concerns that BIP and northern manufacturing policy.

How are the departments trained in the implementation of the Business Incentive Policy and northern manufacturing policy?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today I would like to continue discussion on businesses and policies, BIP and the northern manufacturing policy. As I asked the Minister yesterday about whether these policies have been reviewed, and they had been completed last year to a year and a half. There must be some issues with the implementation of this policy then.

In my short term as MLA for Hay River North, I have had several constituents have concerns with these two policies and the fact that they have been implemented. They are often asking why they have to be their own watchdogs for this program and make sure the GNWT is spending money in the North by northern companies.

I believe that the Business Incentive Policy must be implemented throughout the departments and if it’s not an issue of the policy itself, it must be an issue with the training. How can we be expected to implement larger projects like the Mackenzie Valley Pipeline, Mackenzie Valley Highway and Tuk to Inuvik highway in the future when we’re having difficulties implementing the basic policies or expenditures we have now?

My questions today will be to the Minister of ITI on how we can improve the implementation of the Business Incentive Policy and the northern manufacturing policy. We need to maximize the dollars that the GNWT spends with northern businesses. Thank you.

My next question is concerning the northern manufacturing policy along with the BIP. Has that part of that policy been reviewed as well?

My question is about the involvement as we discussed about the… I think Mr. Dolynny had also discussed about the involvement of northern companies in government contracts. Is there a way to maximize those? We have some of the big projects: the Mackenzie Valley, the Tuk to Inuvik highway coming forward. Is there a way that we can maximize through procurement the northern content in those projects?