David Ramsay

Madam Speaker, they were not credited with any northern content, yet again, they were $800,000 below the next… And this is after the BIP adjustment. They were $800,000 below the next bidder, saving taxpayers’ money.

As to whether or not Appendix B was filled out, I can get the Member a yes or no answer to that. Thank you.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. This tender was won fair and square. It was won by Can-Traffic at a cost savings of about $800,000 to the taxpayer here in the Northwest Territories. Thank you.

Again, I think this is an important topic and it certainly is something I will agree to go back to the department to get them to have a look at. Education is a good thing, getting posters out, getting community announcements out on the benefits of composting. I think most people would understand what those benefits are. We need to do that and we’ll take a look at that, and I thank the Member for raising that issue today.

We’ve done a number of things. We’ve had a number of meetings in the communities in the Sahtu. We’ve taken the Members from the Economic Development and Infrastructure committee on a fracking tour. There have been leaders from the Sahtu attend a fracking tour in Calgary as well. Sometime in April I’m hoping to get a group of business leaders from the Sahtu down to southeast Saskatchewan and into North Dakota to talk to Aboriginal leaders in Bakken about what has happened there, and how Aboriginal governments and leaders here in the Northwest Territories can translate what is happening in the...

As evidenced through this budget that was just presented to the House, we are taking very seriously what is happening in the Sahtu, not just on the economic side but also the social side of policing, education, things like that. In my department we’re looking at adding a business development officer in Norman Wells to help address the issues surrounding business development and opportunities for people to get into business in the Sahtu. So we are answering the call when it comes to what is happening in the Sahtu. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I have with me to my left, Mr. Peter Vician, deputy minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment. To my right is Ms. Nancy Magrum, director of shared services, finance and administration, Industry, Tourism and Investment and Environment and Natural Resources.

I do, Mr. Chairman, thank you. I am pleased to present the 2013-14 main estimates for the Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment.

The department’s main estimates propose total operational expenses of approximately $50 million for the coming fiscal year, which is an increase of 1 percent over 2012-13. This includes sunsets of nearly $2.5 million, specific initiatives of $1.2 million and forced growth of $1.9 million.

The mandate of ITI is to promote economic self-sufficiency through responsible development of the Northwest Territories natural resources and the promotion of tourism, trade...

If the Member wants to get us a list of exactly what it is he requires, the contract has been signed. We’re more than happy to provide him with whatever information we can provide him with. On Appendix B, it speaks to the company’s ability to do the work. It talks about who they would bring in as their subcontractors. It talks about their ability to get the job done in dollar values. That’s proprietary information and that’s not something we would normally share with anybody. That’s how they won the contract, that’s how they are going to do the work. Certainly, we can provide it, but we’d have...

Madam Speaker, we want to ensure that there is a fair process. Certainly I’m not saying that the Member is correct or incorrect. I am saying that the process was followed. The contract was awarded. If the Member wants other information, I’ll do my best to get him whatever information that he needs to satisfy his requirement that Appendix B was filled out and that all the proper steps were taken in the award of this contract. Thank you.

Madam Speaker, the GNWT public tender process was followed. Three compliant bids were received and evaluated. Those bid prices ranged from $1.149 million to over $4.1 million. The lowest acceptable bid was deemed suitable and the award letter was sent out at the end of January. To my knowledge, that was followed.

If the Member would like further details, he is able to see, through ATIPP, whatever he wants to view. We provided the Member with whatever we could provide him with. Thank you.