David Ramsay

Thank you, Mr. Premier. Mr. Villeneuve.

Mr. Speaker, just out of fear of retribution I am going to vote in favour of this bill today and because the government will try to blame this side of the House when something has to get cut here or something has to get cut there…

Thank you, Madam Chair. I wanted to ask the Premier a little bit about the work that the territorial government is going to be working on or doing with the federal government in terms of developing this northern strategy and we can go back a lot of years, Madam Chair, to even the 12th Assembly, the 13th Assembly when they had the road map. In 1998, the Premier at the time said in this House from Hansard in 1998 that the federal government has committed to working with the Yukon and Northwest Territories in developing an economic development strategy. Where is the EDA? It’s six years later...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Your committee has been considering Ministers’ statements 70-15(3), 48-15(3), 49-15(3) and 54-15(3). I would like to report that Ministers’ statements 70-15(3), 48-15(3), 49-15(3) and 54-15(3) are concluded. Mr. Speaker, I move that the report of Committee of the Whole be concurred with.

Thank you, Madam Chairperson. The next thing I just wanted to mention, I’m not sure exactly what happens when the Premier and the Finance Minister go to Ottawa and I haven’t been part of those meetings, but if they get an opportunity to have a face-to-face meeting with the Prime Minister himself, or is it his staff, how does that work exactly? Thank you.

Does the committee agree that consideration of Minister’s Statement 54-15(3) is concluded?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, it seems quite a risky decision to spend half-a-million dollars on two cutting-edge microturbines to be placed in Inuvik, which is, as we all know, far removed from a major centre where they could get some servicing on the pieces of equipment. I know that the Power Corporation is going to try to run these two microturbines for another year and I am wondering if the Premier can advise us…I know they had to go out and get a new service contract to look after these microturbines. Can the Premier tell us today what that’s going to cost the Power Corporation...

Thank you, Mr. Premier. Does the committee agree that consideration of Minister’s Statement 48-15(3) is concluded?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my questions today are for the Premier, the Honourable Joe Handley, Minister responsible for the Northwest Territories Power Corporation. Mr. Speaker, the first question I have for the Premier is why did the Power Corporation spend close to $500,000 on two gas microturbines, which were designed by Mariah Energy and installed at the community recreation centre in Inuvik without some type of warranty on these microturbines, Mr. Speaker? Can the Premier advise the House of why there was no warranty on these pieces of equipment? Thank you.

Okay. General comments to Minister’s Statement 48-15(3). Mr. Zoe.