Wally Schumann

There is no cap for northern contractors bidding on projects. We welcome bids from northern contractors on all projects, but I think what the Member is referring to is the BIP adjustment within the BIP policy, which adds up the contracts to up to $1 million and over $1 million. I will read it all in verbatim, just for the public.

Section 8:

(8) Application of Bid Adjustment

Contracts Less than $25,000

Whenever possible, goods, services and construction valued at less than $25,000 should be purchased directly from BIP Businesses in the Local Community, but no bid adjustment will be applied.

Contract...

Can you repeat the question?

Mr. Speaker, we have also committed to working to diversify our resource mix by developing a long-term strategy for oil and gas in our territory. We have delivered, releasing our Petroleum Resources Strategy with two key outcomes in mind: local benefits, like heating and power generation; and a healthy export market in the future. We have made progress since.

I am pleased to see the Inuvialuit Regional Corporation defining a way forward for their regional natural gas heat and electricity initiative, which has a vision to provide reliable, affordable energy in the area. Our government has...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. One of the things with these SDLs that are already in place, as I said, there would be significant litigation possibilities with it.

Now, if we want to try to get these companies to create some type of economic opportunity from existing SDLs, I would say exactly that is what we are doing through our petroleum strategy. We are trying to attract investment in the Northwest Territories. We are trying to get the federal government to invest in infrastructure to help lay the way to make it more possible for industry to be attracted to this area, to bring their costs down.

These...

Mr. Speaker, I wish to table the following four documents entitled "Petroleum Interests Held in the Northwest Territories by Strategic Oil And Gas Limited"; "Follow-up Letter for Oral Question 705-18(3): Fort Simpson Ferry Service"; "Follow-up Letter for Oral Question 710-18(3): Mackenzie Valley Highway Environmental Assessment Working Group"; and "Follow-up Letter for Oral Question 732-18(3): Dredging in Hay River." Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, the Government of the Northwest Territories is following through on its mandate commitment to strengthen connections with public and private sector partners in transportation infrastructure.

Given our vast geography and harsh climate, Northwest Territories communities and businesses rely on the aviation industry for the safe and reliable delivery of people, goods, and services. That is why the Government of the Northwest Territories has made supporting the northern aviation industry a priority. Our work includes focusing efforts on maintaining and improving aviation infrastructure...

As we all know, we have done a number of things in the last three years, and we will continue to work on them. We have our mineral development strategies in which we will invest another $2 million this fiscal year for the regions that are participating. We have the Unlocking Our Potential brand that we will continue to work to increase public and industry awareness, knowledge, and understanding of the Northwest Territories.

We will continue to fully engage with the federal government, particularly around infrastructure investments. We have been very successful in infrastructure investments in...

As I have said, they have not looked at any GNWT lease procurement opportunities with this building for office space proposals. We are not aware of any department that is looking for incremental space at this point. I don't believe there is any funding available to do that at this point. A lot of this is all speculation in the paper about what is going to happen with this building. I don't mind having a conversation with the Member if there is an opportunity to have a look at this thing for other projects that the Government of the Northwest Territories is having a look at, but that would be...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I knew we would get questions on this one. This was raised in the newspaper with the Bellanca Building coming down. Now, we have to make one thing quite clear: it is a privately owned business. They own this asset. We are actively leasing space off the Bellanca Development Corporation in other buildings that they own in Yellowknife. They have never made anything aware to us as a government about this building. They haven't used it to bid on other projects in the Northwest Territories, or in Yellowknife, I guess.

For us as a government to look at this as an asset to use...

At this time, Marine Transportation Services does not foresee any significant delay in the delivery of fuel to Hay River or delay in the sailing schedule. The department is working closely with the fuel supplier, with CN and the truckers, and has an alternate supply of sources and transportation plans in place. However, the situation is fluid and can change very quickly.