Jane Groenewegen

Thank you. Next I have on my list Mr. Yakeleya.

At what point and through what vehicle, by what method do we Members on this side of the House get to be involved in the revision of the procurement policies of this government to ensure that Northerners get the work and get the jobs?

Thank you, Minister Ramsay. Mr. Menicoche.

MR. MENICOCHE:

We approved the capital budget in November for the last few years actually, but still last August they were tendering out a contract to chipseal Highway No. 7, which I was very happy to hear about, but they were tendering it out in July. What’s going on? Why are they tendering it out in July? We gave them approval in November.

So that’s the kind of frustrations that I’d like to bring to the table today, Madam Chair. When it comes to this O and M budget, whatever money is there I want to ask and get a commitment from the Minister of...

One of the features of a standing offer agreement is that it’s in place for a period of time. Can the Minister tell us if standing offer agreements are usually in place for one year or for longer? Because I do appreciate that Mr. Dean has made the department now aware of his equipment, and his capacity and his ability to do this kind of work, but how long before an engineering company can be taken – not taken to task, that’s the wrong word – can be held to account for making sure that they subcontract to northern contractors?

Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. Minister Miltenberger.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today I want to talk about a very frustrating flaw in our procurement policy. We hire engineering services for the Department of Transportation for transportation infrastructure on a standing offer agreement basis.

A constituent of mine, Darrell Dean, born and raised in Hay River, Aboriginal, owns a drilling company called Procore. This company has expended resources to buy equipment and hire employees to be involved in geotechnical work. Last winter and again this winter he has observed our government continuing to use the services of a southern company called Mobile...

Agreed. Thank you. I will ask the Sergeant-at-Arms to escort Mr. Miltenberger’s witnesses to the witness table.

I’ll ask Mr. Miltenberger if he’ll please introduce his witnesses for the record.

Question is being called.

---Carried

Department of Transportation, as per your documents it is item number 11. Appropriation authority required, $29.848 million. Mr. Miltenberger.

I’d like to call Committee of the Whole back to order. We are still dealing with Tabled Document 1-17(2), Interim Appropriation 2012-2013. Yesterday when we had left off, we had dealt with all the departments with the exception of the Department of Transportation. Mr. Menicoche.

Thank you. Is committee agreed?