Daryl Dolynny

At this point I’d like to thank our witnesses here for joining us today. Could I get the Sergeant-at-Arms to please escort our witnesses out of the Chamber. Thank you. Committee, I will now rise and report progress.

Thank you, Mr. Moses. In keeping with our convention protocol today, we’ll go to Minister Miltenberger to see if he can reply to Mr. Bouchard, Mr. Nadli and Mr. Moses. Minister Miltenberger.

Thank you, Mr. Bouchard. Continuing on with general comments, I have Mr. Nadli.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Can the Minister indicate if he intends to make the cost of fuel in communities more easily accessible, more transparent to the public to view?

We’ll probably dissect that question more as we get into the budget, but how does the Minister plan to coordinate with departments such as Industry, Tourism and Investment, Environment and Natural Resources and the NWT Power Corporation, especially on energy policy and all these initiatives?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to introduce, to you and through you, someone who does attend a lot of our proceedings here from the riding of Range Lake, Mr. David Wasylciw.

Thank you to the Minister. As I said earlier, PWS oversees its new Fuel Services Program, previously known as the petroleum products division. This Fuel Services Program deals with NWT communities not accessible by the private sector.

Can the Minister indicate how he intends to track the cost of fuel in these communities?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As we heard in today’s budget address, energy is now the new activity in the Public Works and Services portfolio. This new role appears to contain, as we are told, the new fuel services division, formerly called the petroleum products division. It will now look after energy conservation. We’ve heard about efficiency programs, alternative energy solutions and things about energy policy and planning. All these energy initiatives were previously fragmented throughout the GNWT, and because of these new found powers, my questions will be for the Minister of Public Works and...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. After spending a quarter-million dollars on two energy charrettes during the life of this Assembly, this government is poised in perfect position to say once again, with today’s budget address, it has no idea what it’s doing. But the old-age tactic of the three D’s, that’s delay, defer and defuse, the taxpayer is once again stranded on the roadside with no further resolve to our energy debacle.

Ironically, during our last session, every time an issue of energy, cost of living, or electricity generation hit the floor of this House, the Cabinet was quick on its feet to...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I don’t know if we can continue to dredge up old priorities and squeeze them into the 17th Assembly.

Finally, on January 29, 2015, the Premier’s speaking notes at the North Star Gala in Ottawa were made public. Upon review, it’s clear the Premier was there to promote an economic and resource development agenda. Mr. Speaker, I’m very okay with this; however, what was missing from the tonality of this address, and I’m sure most Northerners would agree, there was a need to lower our cost of living in the North.

Can the Premier indicate why no reference to lowering cost of...