David Krutko

My question is for the Premier. It is in regard to his comments yesterday to Mr. Hawkins. It was an example that he used for vacancies. Through that exercise we would become aware of vacancies which are out there, but it would also be an easy way to look at the direct impact on individuals.

We also have to realize that there is a direct impact on communities that have these vacant positions and haven’t been able to have the basic programs and services delivered in their communities. I hope what I heard from the Premier is not that we’re going to add more pain to the communities by way of not...

Mr. Speaker, I think as a legacy of this Legislature and of the Premier, we can even name it the “Roland Tax Bill.”

Laughter.

Mr. Speaker, I believe we do have to take a close look at this. If you look at the profits of these mega-companies such as Exxon Mobil, which announced a $40 billion profit, and you look at the diamond companies, which are making billions of dollars of profits a year, they’re taking diamonds and oil and gas out of the Northwest Territories but not leaving anything behind to the real residents who should be benefitting from those resources.

I think, as a government, we have to seriously take these industries up on this matter. I know, Mr. Speaker, during the argument for the pipeline, we had to...

As we know, there have been efforts in the past to look at this issue. There was talk about a one-rate zone, but the government of the time fired the whole board of the Power Corporation, so I don't think you'll want to try that again.

I would like to ask the Minister: will he look at an alternative, a one-rate-zone system, and consider looking at a levelized rate system in the Northwest Territories so that it’s fair, it’s transparent and everyone knows exactly what the real cost is? More importantly, how we can afford power in our communities instead of continuing to subsidize this power...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The thing that really got me, looking at this issue, is I made a visit to Colville Lake, where I ran into an elder who was having problems paying her power bill. She had a bill for $1,600 for one month in Colville Lake, and yet she is a pensioner who has to depend on her pension. It was because programs and services weren’t being provided to her in Colville Lake. She had to heat her home with her electric range because she had no diesel fuel. This is the reality of what we are facing in a lot of our small communities.

I think we have to face the reality, which is to...

In regard to the challenges we face in the Northwest Territories, one of the most vibrant problems we see is sustainability of small communities, but more importantly, the high cost of the power rates in a lot of our communities. Electrical power is an essential service to all people of the Northwest Territories. It’s mostly felt by these communities where the high cost of living, the high cost of groceries and, more importantly, the high cost just to maintain a lifestyle is driving a lot of our residents to leave a lot of our small communities for the larger centres, at a cost to the...

Mr. Speaker, as a Member I’m willing to bring a motion forward if that’s what it’s going to take to get this government to move. So I’d just like to put the Premier on notice that I will be bringing a motion forward, preferably next week, on this matter, and we can at that time debate it in this House.

My question is directed to the Premier in regard to my statement considering the rate structure we have in the Northwest Territories, which is very unfair. In some communities you pay 15 cents; in other communities you pay $2.85. Because there are such vast differences in prices, we in the Territory have to seriously look at some sort of a system that's fair, equitable and affordable.

I would like to ask the Premier if he would consider the possibility of looking at levelized rates. It’s been done in other jurisdictions across Canada. It’s been looked at in the Yukon, Nunavut, Labrador and...

Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in regards to the Premier’s commitment, I do believe, as a government, we have the unique programs out there. We have developed them over the years. But I think it is the lack of real adequate resources that are in those programs that really make them work. I think I mentioned the community access program. It is a good idea. It is a good initiative, but it is limited on the amount of resources that is in it. As a government, I think we should look at programs that do work and put more resources into them and make them accessible to all communities...