David Krutko

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Just to follow up from my Member’s statement in regard to policing in small communities, but more importantly, the community of Tsiigehtchic, which I represent.

The Minister was at a public meeting, along with Minister Lee, where issues came up about policing in Tsiigehtchic, or the lack of policing in the community, and what this government can do to try to find ways to remedy the situation. We know that it may be a while before we see a permanent police presence there.

I’d like to ask the Minister: has he been talking to the RCMP and come up with some ideas? I know...

Mr. Speaker, the problem that I see happening, especially in the Inuvik region, is that what’s going on at the Inuvik hospital is having a direct impact on services outside the Inuvik hospital in other communities. It’s affecting the delivery in the communities I represent, where we’re seeing health centre closures. We have seen notices posted throughout our community, and that is because of the major problem that is happening at the Inuvik hospital.

I’d like to ask the Minister: exactly why is it that you’re telling our communities, “Sorry; we can’t provide you services, because we don’t have...

Mr. Speaker, to have 45 vacancies in a health system is not healthy. Someone is paying for 45 positions in a system that…. Basically, it was passed in a budget in this House to cover the costs of 45 individuals to fill those positions. If they are bringing locums and whatnot in, again that tells me there is really something wrong here.

I’d like to ask the Minister again: not waiting for a review of a committee, will she seriously take a look at the health crisis we have at Inuvik hospital, realizing that it’s running a deficit, it has 45 vacancies, and basically it’s not doing what it should be...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I think it’s important for the departments of Justice, Health, MACA — whatever — to get back into the communities and assure them that these issues have been looked into and, more importantly, keep them involved.

I’d like to ask the Minister: does he have any plans or has he instructed any of his staff to go into Tsiigehtchic and give them an update on exactly where we’re at with these issues so they can feel comfortable that we are following up on these matters?

Mr. Speaker, as we’ve heard time and time again, everywhere you go, everybody wants to deregulate and make things straightforward and simple. I think this government should also be amenable to that.

I would like to ask the Minister, knowing from his last comment about who’s going to do it…. I think maybe it’s time the Legislative Assembly established rates through legislation, that we establish exactly what the fee structure is going to be and do it through legislation and simply leave it to a board that will do it. I’d like to ask the Minister: have you considered the deregulation of this...

Mr. Speaker, as stated by the Premier and now the Minister responsible for the PUB, has the government considered bringing forward legislation that will direct the PUB to take a look at levelized rates?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As we all know, power is an essential service that we all depend on, from heating our homes to turning our lights on, to maintain the community infrastructure and, more importantly, to generate the economic value we have by way of purchasing.

The Northwest Territories Power Corporation has a system of establishing rates by what we call community-based rates, better known as postage stamp rates, which means every community that has a power generating system, regardless if it’s Northland Utilities or Northwest Territories Power Corporation, has to be assessed in regard to...

Mr. Speaker, as I stated in my statement, this government alone can save almost $12 million. Right now we pay a subsidy of over $9 million a year. It costs this government a little over $3 million to do these rate applications. There are savings that could be major by simply changing the direction the PUB has taken by establishing the 33 rate system, where basically 33 applications have to be reviewed every four years. Has the government looked at the cost savings in regard to making this decision, unilaterally knowing that there are cost savings to be had here? Has the Minister looked at the...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As I stated earlier, my question is going to be directed to the Minister responsible for the Public Utilities Board.

Mr. Speaker, this government, every four years, goes through an application process of some 33 applications that have to be compiled and submitted to the PUB board for review. The PU review board is the one that establishes the rates that are going to be implemented in the communities. It’s not the Power Corp; it’s the PUB.

There was a decision made in the early ’90s to establish postage stamp rates, which means that every community has to apply...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is directed to the Minister of Health and Social Services. It’s in regard to my Member’s statement on the lack of services in a lot of our communities, especially core services like health care services such as nurses, mental health workers, alcohol and drug workers.

I think it’s very important that this government take this issue seriously. It is having a direct effect not only on our communities but on this government’s ability to deliver other programs and services, as we can see with the major deficits we’re running in different hospitals in different...