David Krutko

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, it's not too often I get to recognize my constituency assistant, so I'd just like to take this time to recognize Sue-Ellen Wilson from Fort McPherson, who is my constituency assistant who has been here this week chaperoning the Pages. I'd also like to recognize a former constituent from Tsiigehtchic, Ms. Norwegian. She's just back from her studies in Winnipeg in regards to aboriginal self-government, so I'd like to welcome her back to Yellowknife.

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Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to thank yourself as Speaker of the Legislative Assembly, but, more importantly, this House for supporting the Page Program to allow students from the outlying communities, the small communities, ridings, to participate in the goings on of this Legislative Assembly.

Mr. Speaker, it gives me great pleasure to have an opportunity to have two Pages here this week to partake of what happens in this Legislative Assembly. From Fort McPherson and Aklavik, I have Allison Neyando from Fort McPherson, Chief Julius School…

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Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Suffice to the Member, I will do up a letter, cc it to all the communities, direct it to the president of the corporation to ensure that they have these consultations, inform the communities when they are going to release any water from the Taltson hydro facility which may affect the water levels downstream. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, it gives me great pleasure to recognize Anne Clark, the new president and chief executive officer of the Workers' Compensation Board of the Northwest Territories.

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Along with Anne is her husband, Ryerson Clark, who is also accompanying his wife. Also I'd like to welcome them to the Northwest Territories. They have relocated from Nova Scotia. I wish them all the best and success in their time here and, more importantly, working with the Members of the Legislative Assembly in regards to workers' compensation issues. Along with them is Clarence...

Yes, Mr. Chairman. There will be two acts tabled, one dealing with the Hydro Corporation Act and one dealing with the Northwest Territories Power Corporation Act. So there will be two separate filings at the same time.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, we are proceeding. The Deze board is going to be the key agency that we are looking at to do the consultation. They were in Lutselk’e on March 15th to meet with different groups and agencies. Again, they met with some people and other people had other commitments. I think also there is a legal issue that we are trying to deal with around Lutselk’e, because they have signed agreements with a southern firm by way of regional power. It is a legal, binding contract. Until that contract expires, we can’t be seen to be competing with the same interest. I think...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, to my right I have Lew Voytilla, chairman of the Northwest Territories Power Corporation; to my left I have Mark Aitken, director of legislation, Department of Justice.

I am pleased to introduce Bill 4, Northwest Territories Hydro Corporation Act. This bill is necessary to facilitate the participation of the Northwest Territories Power Corporation in a joint venture with the Akaitcho Energy Corporation and the Metis Energy Company to expand the Taltson Twin Gorges hydro facility to provide power to the diamond mines.

The passage of this act will not in any way commit the Government of the Northwest Territories or the NTPC to proceed with the Taltson hydro expansion project. The act only makes participation in the project possible. Many steps are still...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Again, we are willing to enter into an agreement with the Town of Inuvik, the recreation department, whoever that may be in regards to facilitating this issue and have a signed agreement to spell out exactly what the costs associated with the replacement, where the new field is going to be located, make sure it is in black and white because I think the Member made it clear. We learned from the mistake we made in Aklavik. We don’t want to repeat that and make the same decision. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we have been working through the Town of Inuvik with regards to the relocation of the new high school in Inuvik. We are working with the town in regards to the replacement of that ball field, again working with the Slow-pitch League in Inuvik. Again, we are basically working through the Town of Inuvik by way of a consultative process and allowing them to facilitate, organizing these meetings with the different interest groups so that we do try to minimize the effects on all interested parties in regards to this decision. Thank you.