David Krutko

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Over the last number of days I’ve received several phone calls and e-mails from local contractors in my riding who feel there is a total disadvantage regarding the contracting practices of this Government of the Northwest Territories. Especially the housing corporation when it comes to housing…(inaudible)…in local communities.

What I’m talking about are the advantages of large regional contractors to be able to supply, ship and erect contracts in the communities by way of having the purchase power, the means of moving the materials into the communities, and very little...

Mr. Speaker, I give notice that on Thursday, May 20, 2010, I will move the following motion: now therefore I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Sahtu, that the Legislative Assembly of the Northwest Territories calls on the Government of Canada to fully reinstate the funding previously provided to the Aboriginal Healing Foundation; and further, that the Speaker formally transmit this motion and the content of our proceedings today to the federal Minister of Indian and Northern Affairs for his consideration and action. Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, in regards to the contracting processes that I would like to ask the Minister, I know I mentioned negotiating contractors in my statement but also I have supported negotiating contracts for projects in McPherson and Aklavik which were submitted to the regional office which I gave to the Minister. It was supposed to go to Cabinet in April. I would like to ask the Minister what is the status of those contracts. Again, that is another avenue that has to be used but again we are not hearing anything back from Cabinet on that. I would like to get an update from the Minister. Why is...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions are in regards to my Member’s statement, but also this issue I have raised in the last setting of this Legislature but it looks like nothing has been done with it. Again, these contracts that are being let in our communities are not being taken advantage of by local contractors. If anything, it is benefitting the regional contractors who have an opportunity because the way the contracts are being let, which are basically supply, ship and erect contracts, are an advantage to the larger regional contractors in regards to having to bid in multiple contracts...

Again, in regard to the opportunities for communities to take advantage of these tendering processes but ensuring that the benefits are derived in the communities where these capital dollars are expended and the capital investment is being made.

Again, we have high pockets of unemployment in most of our smaller communities exceeding over 45 to 50 percent unemployment, not compared to 23 or 24 percent in the larger regional centres. I think this government has to seriously take a look at this issue, go back to the drawing board and take a look at your contracting policies and procedures and the...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Also in my statement I talked about sustainable communities and the importance of this government to look at the social and economic benefits of these types of projects in our communities and ensure that the maximum benefit goes to the local communities because we are hurting in our communities with high unemployment, but more importantly we have to find jobs and sustain those jobs. So I’d like to ask the Minister exactly what the government is doing to ensure that we are sustaining communities with these projects and not seeing the money leave the communities and go to...

Maybe the Minister can check with his advisors. Have there been cost overruns on those two projects where the government had to come in with the dollars to ensure those projects went ahead?

I thought he would say yes, because it is a reality of structural problems in the Inuvik region, especially to do with pilings and I think there is a report out there, an intensive report, on public facilities in the Inuvik region over the last number years. So I’m just wondering, realizing that this is one facility for half a million dollars dealing with foundations. So I’d just like to ask the Minister if he can look at the reviews and reports that have been done and come forward and identify those other facilities that have similar problems in light of the budget going forward, because I...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. In regard to the Building Canada funds and the funds that we received from Ottawa, I noted that there are a lot of cost overruns associated with that program. I’d just like to know from the Minister exactly what are we doing to…because the issue I have a problem with, especially in this government, is that we have a new system and every time a community asks for assistance from this government, they’re saying, oh well, you get gas tax money so you should offset that cost from your gas tax money, and if the government is now saying, well, we’re not responsible, but yet I...

I just noted that there is the Inuvik Young Offender Facility. Is it $500,000. Could you just give us an illustration of what that $500,000 is for?