Bob Bromley

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. If I could just get an explanation. I understand this is for a new module for training, to manage training and employee certification. Maybe if I could just get an elaboration so I understand this. Thank you.

Thank you. I’m glad to hear the Minister is talking to our people. Building transmission lines is extremely expensive. ATCO, during the most recent Taltson fiasco, came up with about $750,000 per kilometre. Now we’re talking about building grids to the South at that rate. So that puts us in the many millions of dollars, in addition to our 30 cent kilowatt hour of power cost, so now we add that to that cost to sell our power to the South. Clearly, that’s not about to happen.

I’d like to ask the Premier what the cost of a transmission line to the South would be. What are the estimates?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions are for the Premier. I’d like to follow up on the discussion that he had with my colleague Mrs. Groenewegen yesterday on power and hydro grids and so on.

As we know, we’re approaching 25 to 30 cents, possibly greater – we have stipulated increases in our rates in this part of the Northwest Territories – whereas provincial rates are in the order of six or eight cents. I’m very disappointed that the Premier would encourage the impression that the Northwest Territories has any potential for selling power to the South. He mentioned the other big markets down...

Mr. Speaker, that sounds kind of weak to me. Governments have to be able to chew gum and think at the same time and, in fact, in multiple ways, so I wouldn’t expect this sort of thing would allow a delay.

On the area of a related issue – child and family resource centres in Tulita and Ndilo – could the Minister please provide an update on the status of these centres that are long overdue? Mahsi.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions are for the Minister of Health and Social Services, focused on early childhood development, questions of midwifery, and child and family services centres. In March of this year the Assembly provided a specific, clear direction and allocated an additional $330,000 to Health and Social Services to ensure that a midwifery program would be established in Hay River this year. That was six months ago.

Can the Minister confirm that the Midwifery Program in Hay River is now operational or will be within the next few months? Mahsi.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to recognize members of the Yellowknife Farmers Market for their very successful first season. The Farmers Market was started by two friends of the land, France Benoit, a Weledeh constituent, and Amy Lizotte. They say their idea caught on quickly, with many helpful volunteers.

The market operated in the Samba K’e Park next to the Yellowknife City Hall every Tuesday evening for 12 consecutive weeks. Over 70 vendors throughout the summer enjoyed total sales of over $140,000. Based on studies of other farmers markets in Canada, this farmers market likely...

Thanks for that explanation. I have to say that’s pretty much all Greek to me. Let’s see if I can attempt plain language on this and get the Minister’s perspective then.

It seems like we’re moving into a more and more electronic world all the time. Some basic duties that everybody has in their jobs across the government, where normally we might scratch on our calendar or something like this or make a call to your local HR officer, now we’re doing all these things electronically. Say you ended up with a person like me in your staff, the government somewhere, I’d need to take these training...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I hope that seals the deal. I hope this does correct the impression for the public.

The last question I have, very briefly, is: Has the Premier informed our public that if we do in fact connect to these grids and import power, that we will be importing primarily coal power, the dirtiest possible fuel and the most inefficient use of fuel to generate electricity and the most damaging of the fuels to climate change? Has the Premier informed the public about that aspect as well?

We could use all the extra power ourselves. Economically that’s been demonstrated. For some reason we’re not; we’re using fossil fuels instead. Again, the Premier did not refute the fact that we have 30 cent power, they have six to eight cents power. We are not going to be selling, so this is a very irresponsible position to take.

In contrast, and I’ve talked to people in the Hydro Corporation and the NWT Power Corporation and they agree with that, of course. Has the Premier talked to those people in the Hydro Corporation and the NWT Power Corporation? Mahsi.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’m very pleased to hear about the Healthy Family Program. I have been aware of that and I think that is an excellent program.

My question was on the commitment to get in place new child and family resource centres. I know those were attempted in the previous fiscal year and they failed to be established. I assume the Minister is working with the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment to get those up and operational. Hopefully they are by now. We have been at this now for a year and a half. I wonder if the Minister, if he’s not aware of not being able to provide...