Tom Beaulieu

Thank you, Madam Chair. I’d like to have the director, Laurie Gault, respond to that, and perhaps if the Minister of Finance could add to the response, then that would be good as well.

This is not just a small communities issue. If this is implemented across the board, it will leave a substantial number of contractors unable to work with the GNWT. That includes large companies that are not registered in the contract management system, including subs. There are contractors that are going to be able to get jobs, but their subs won’t be able to go on site. Contract management systems can be used to prequalify contractors. So, in a sense, if a contractor is not registered with the contract management system, then they wouldn’t be able to bid. We could also be able to do an...

That is one of the things that, as a division, starting on April 1st, we will be following up on very soon into the creation of that division.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. No, that is not the only safety requirement. We ensure that the contractors are able to provide a letter indicating they are in good standing with WSCC. However, that’s not the only requirement. We have construction safety on the agenda before a contract is awarded and there are several items the contractor must have in place before they are able to contract with GNWT. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I just want to give a few comments on each of these areas and I’ll have the deputy minister provide some detail.

The procurement shared services from the government’s perspective is something that is very positive. We consider it to be very positive for industry as well. It does consolidate the contracting, tendering and so on. We have offices now in the various locations across the North that handle the procurement services for all of government and all the departments, plus the NWT Housing Corporation. We feel that it’s going to improve the quality of our contracting...

We are not lowering the bar. That’s not what we’re doing. We have an obligation to continue to be in the business of constructing public infrastructure for the Government of the Northwest Territories. What we are saying is that if – I am going to repeat myself – if we were to put in a rule today that eliminates most of the contractors, it just would not be wise.

At the same time, we’re not dropping all the safety programs here. We are on site. We are saying individuals who have had safety plans, any large projects, any renovations, any opening of older buildings that we are expecting asbestos...

Yes, Mr. Chairman, I do.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Perhaps I could get some support in responding to that from the Premier.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I give notice that on Monday, March 9, 2015, I will move that Bill 49, An Act to Amend the Deh Cho Bridge Act, be read for the first time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Madam Chair. This is a process. If we were to introduce, say, an association of some sort and say that all contractors must be certified under this system as of today, we would be eliminating the majority of our contractors in the small communities. We would be eliminating the majority of our contractors in the NWT, period.

We need to work with the contractors. We need to move into this process. Eventually we do hope to have everyone covered under some sort of certification indicating that they do have safety certification to be on any job site, but how we introduce that does take...