Bob McLeod

That is something that the federal government has indicated that, with devolution, we should be at the table, and that we have programs and services, and we have responsibilities as a public Government of the Northwest Territories.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. First of all, we do not want to raise false expectations. We do not want to suggest that there is a project, when there is no project. Like I said, I can reassure the Member that as soon as we get an indication of federal support, and as soon as we have a power customer, we will be very pleased to consult. We have a duty to consult, which is a legal requirement.

We've been down this road before. Previously we spent $13 million in the hopes of finding a customer. That project did not materialize and we do not intend to go forward without a customer or without an indication of federal support.

Our expectation is that the MSRs will identify a number of options that would allow us to take different approaches and approaches that will allow us to move forward. I look forward to having the opportunity to review those recommendations and to also discuss it with the federal Minister and, also, as we determine the path forward, with the appropriate parties and governments.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My understanding is it goes back to the signing treaties. At the time treaties were signed, there was the oral version and the written version, and, from what I understand, the oral version is interpreted differently than the written version by a number of Aboriginal governments. That is possibly one of the reasons for the long time.

I think one of the benefits of ministerial special representatives is we ask them to outline and find out what some of the reasons for the delays, what are the challenges, what are the road blocks. I think, in my view, some of them have been...

The Taltson River has 18 megawatts of installed hydro capacity but has 200 megawatts of hydro potential which could be developed over the next decade. The Taltson Hydro Expansion combined with a southern transmission link, could provide a green energy corridor that would stabilize power costs in the North, displace coal generation in the South and remove economic barriers to remote resource development. The first phase, if we go down that route, would leverage past work to build a 60-megawatt hydro expansion within five years that would double the Northwest Territories hydro capacity and...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I can assure the Member that as soon as we have a project where we have a customer and where we have secured federal funding and support, we will be out there consulting. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

For these three pilot programs, the federal government is operating on a fee-for-service basis. For the six programs that we deliver on for the GSOs, they are paying us an average of $25 per fee, so at the end of the pilot program we will evaluate the number of services and evaluate and determine the bill that was sent to Service Canada.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I came in. I expected that I would be able to support the final four motions, but then I hear there were references to, oh, we have to fix “old boys club,” "nudge, nudge, wink, wink," and there are references to not allowing direct or indirect monetary or other personal private interests, suggesting that there is something really wrong. So, in my view, the Code of Conduct and the Oath of Office before us worked fine for me, so I will not be supporting this motion. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. As this is an important matter for the Legislative Assembly, the people of the Northwest Territories, and all Members including those in Cabinet, for that reason I wish to advise that the Executive Council will have a free vote on these motions. Thank you, Mr. Chair.