Bob Bromley
Statements in Debates
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise to speak yet again on the issue of developing new policies on supplementary health coverage in the NWT. I support the intent to begin delivering coverage to all people of the North. Unfortunately, I still do not know how many new people this involves or what the estimated costs are.
I support concerns raised about how the department is proceeding. First -- and on a point that is repeatedly being raised by public client groups, individuals, families, constituents, and committee -- is the expected expedited time frame that the Minister is insisting upon. We have an...
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I will be supporting this motion. I think quite a number of points have been raised by Members of this Assembly, at least since the beginning of the Assembly, and presumably in previous Assemblies as well, that have not been resolved satisfactorily and an audit such as this can go a long way to doing that. Some of the important concerns that are still ongoing in our current situation are the long-term implications with taking this on our debt, what prevention measures can be conceived of and put in place, and, as has been mentioned, the value of P3 projects...
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Of course the last two points we’ve raised means that they could operate together with an alternative routing to provide both for the diamond mines and these other customers in a way that would join the grids and we would enjoy those benefits.
My last question is related to the diamond mines. We’ve recently had occasion to meet with some of the companies and we’re pleased to hear that they’re extending their mine life considerably as they find new reserves and come up with lower cost means of production. This provides again a window of opportunity that might add a...
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I said johnny-come-lately because this side of the House at least is not convinced at all that sufficient consideration has been given to the public good in this project.
New considerations such as we have seen here today will not stop the process as the Premier implied. In fact, just last month Deze Corporation and the Hydro Corporation came up with a brand new un-contemplated place to cross Great Slave Lake. So now there’s a whole new process starting there. Of course, that means we don’t know what the routing is from the north side of the lake to the mines.
Another...
I would like to take the Premier up on that offer and just to be clear, because the Premier suggested earlier that I do not put enough weight and bearing on our aboriginal partners, perhaps as we have with the Deh Cho Bridge project, I insist that we include our aboriginal partners on this as we go forward, they ensuring financial return and we ensuring public benefit. Mahsi.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to table two documents. The first one is from Imperial Oil dated March 15th to the National Energy Board relating to economy feasibility studies of the Mackenzie Gas Project.
The second one is from Lawson Lundell on behalf of GNWT to the National Energy Board dated March 22, 2010. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I appreciate both commitments from the Premier there. Just to follow up on the greenhouse gas emissions, again the alternative routing does not preclude this, indeed, nor would we want it to. I think that’s a major objective that we want to retain.
The Hydro Corporation has shown incredible patience in awaiting agreements with the diamond mines for the power. Would the Premier direct the Hydro Corporation to also have discussions -- and this gets to his last point -- with Avalon, with Tyhee, with NICO, with Yellowknife, with Behchoko, to establish their interest and...
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to pursue our long-suffering Premier here with another round on the Taltson project. This project, of course, is embedded within the context of our NWT Hydro Strategy which was put out in 2008. I’ve commented in the House here and in committee a number of times on that draft strategy. I believe other Members have. There is no evidence that I have seen that any of those comments have come to roost anywhere. I think that it’s time that we did finalize that strategy, because a good vision would help guide the development of projects such as this and avoid this...
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, earlier this month I made a statement on the Deze Corporation’s Taltson Hydro development and transmission routing to the diamond mines, suggesting that we might get far greater benefits from our $13-plus million investment by giving straightforward consideration to the public good.
Environmentally and socially sound economic development remains a priority of this government, and I believe this project needs a critical look to ensure that our public and our regional economies are well served by the work. I would like to see us sharpen our pencils and come up...
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I just want to carry on a little bit on the fiscal environment that I was mentioning earlier. I want to make sure I have some things right here. Our annual payments will be about $8 million per year, including a net of about $2 million new dollars each year. After a five-year period we have federal support for extra debt. We will have paid about $40 million for a reduction in the principal of about $10 million, leaving about $150 million in principal debt on the books. Over this same period we’ll reduce our current debt, which is estimated at $215 million at the end of...