David Krutko

Mr. Speaker, my question is directed to the Minister of Public Works and Services in regard to a comment that was made in regard to one of the community leaders in which the staffer in Inuvik made reference: well, we don’t like negotiated contracts, it takes too long, so basically that’s not the process we like to follow. I’d like to ask the Minister who makes the decision on a negotiated contract. Is it someone in the field or is it Cabinet?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I believe one of the key areas of contention is the area around the office building in Inuvik. Again, there was a person in the field who basically made reference that they don’t want to get into a negotiated contract in regards to that office building. They are going to go public tender and it was said verbally to one of the community leaders. There was a meeting between the Premier and the Gwich’in Tribal Council leadership. There was a verbal understanding that the Gwich’in were going to negotiate that facility by way of a negotiated contract but yet, now we are...

Mr. Speaker, again, as a government, why is this government having to take the position where groups have actually had to take this government to court to get their attention? Don’t you think it is easier if we can sit down, talk through our differences and if it comes to that, bring in an arbitrator? If we can’t get to that, go to family counselling because I think you definitely need it. Mr. Speaker, the Premier represents the Inuvik region where the Gwich’in Tribal Council is. You’d think, if anything, as the Premier and in his riding, that he would be consulting with the Gwich’in Tribal...

Agreed. Sergeant-at-Arms, escort the witnesses in, please.

For the record, Mr. Minister, can you introduce your witnesses?

At this time I would like to ask the Minister if he would like to bring in any witnesses.

With that, we’ll take a short break and begin with the Housing Corporation.

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Minister of Housing.

I’ll call Committee of the Whole to order. Consideration in Committee of the Whole of bills and other matters: Tabled Document 7-16(3), Committee Report 2-16(3), Committee Report 3-16(3), Tabled Document 11-16(3), Bill 1, 3, 4, 5 and 7. What is the wish of the committee? Mrs. Groenewegen.

Thank you. Minister of Housing

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. That is exactly the fear factor that is out there in our region. It is because we are negotiating self-government to govern ourselves and not depend on Yellowknife in the future. That is what self-government to us means. By you saying that basically we now will have to agree to seven boards in the Northwest Territories and you have to live with what the decision of this government is, that is a change in regards to the organization structure in our regions. Again, I would like to ask the Premier...That is a very crucial change in regards to the structure of governance...