Floyd Roland

The changing of meters isn’t as straightforward a process as just making a decision to do that. In fact, I would say that we would need to have a serious look at this. The Power Corporation does a business plan themselves and puts it together, so I’d be prepared to get a briefing note ready and provide that for the Members.

Mr. Speaker, the rate application has been put forward to the PUB; it’s being reviewed. We’ll expect a ruling on that and take the direction from that process.

The problems…. I mean, it’s not as simple as my declaring that that rate application be pulled. The simple fact is that right now, in our existing framework, the Power Corporation has to work within the legislation as regulated by the PUB and has to show and cover the cost of operation. It goes through that process. What we do as the GNWT outside of that is, for example, through the Territorial Power Support Program, where we match the...

The General Rate Application has been put forward and is being reviewed. The numbers are substantiated, or if the request is for further substantiation, that would be done and provided for.

The area of just making an arbitrary decision from the political side can have far reaching consequences into the actual operation of our sole provider of energy in the Northwest Territories. There is another company that is into the distribution side, but that still comes from our Power Corporation. So we must be careful in setting an arbitrary target on a political basis. We need to back up our own...

Mr. Speaker, the role of the PUB, as well as the role of the Power Corporation in the Northwest Territories, is one that is directed by the legislation that we as an Assembly control. There’s always opportunity to bring them in to have a discussion about the legislation they operate under. I stated earlier the need to look at some of the legislation that we can impact and that should pose potential changes for the future.

Mr. Speaker, the Power Corporation itself has undertaken a review from an outside source to look at the at-risk system. The PUB regulates that area and gives direction in that area, and they did the last review that happened.

The Member is right. As a Legislative Assembly we can give direction to the Power Corporation and make some movement in that area. We must recognize by doing that that it can have a fairly significant impact on their operation, as we would do as the Government of the Northwest Territories.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The work that we’re doing on the Ministerial Energy Coordinating Committee and looking at the structure, the rates, delivery, energy generation…. We’re looking at quite a number of options — opening the books, in a sense, to options that are out there. Members have suggestions when we go forward with this paper looking for further input as to other options that we may have missed.

Again, going on what has been stated before — I said it and Member Groenewegen said it earlier today — we should not leave any stone unturned when it comes to power generation and delivery in...

Right now legislation provides for franchise agreements. As well, commercial bodies out there can decide to develop their own power structures, which would take away the potential business, which would leave the rest of the residents of the Northwest Territories covering for the structure as it is.

It is an area of concern. The Power Corporation itself identified that even as far as a couple of years ago, looking at the commercial impacts of providing power to companies in the North, which then has the spinoff impact to the residents in the North. That is something that we are having to work...

Mr. Speaker, there are quite a number of projects that could benefit. There is a history within the North of partnering with some of the companies here in the Northwest Territories. The Taltson hydro project is an example of forming a partnership with aboriginal companies in the Northwest Territories. I think that is another example of how we move this project ahead when we get to the next stage after environmental review.

When it comes to the actual financing of the project, how do we move this ahead? The GNWT itself, as we talked about, as Members are aware…. The fiscal restraint that we face...

Mr. Speaker, as the Member stated, this area and the impact it has on the lives on individuals — commercial as well, when we talk about the small grocery stores in our smaller communities…. The cost of that energy generation is borne by the residents in that community. So, yes, it is a high priority. That is one of the reasons I have kept the Power Corporation as one of my areas of responsibility, to put the energy into it and push this along for a complete review. I will confirm for the Member that no stone will be left unturned when it comes to power generation and distribution in the...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I guess the simplest way of saying it is that the role of the Power Corporation into the future of the Northwest Territories is one that’s evolving. Again, I met with the board of the Power Corporation. I stated that we have to look at how we operate and look at all facets of it. The fact that we have to look beyond the existing framework that’s in place is something that we shouldn’t shy away from as we look forward to how we generate and deliver power in the Northwest Territories.