Floyd Roland

Mr. Speaker, I fully understand the need to take action when it comes to power generation in the Northwest Territories. Hopefully, as we look at the initiative as the Assembly, we’ll be able to look at options. I know that through the Ministerial Energy Coordinating Committee we’re looking at bringing a paper forward that looks at all options that we should look at here in the Northwest Territories.

As for the General Rate Application that is before the PUB right now, one of the other circumstances that we have to realize is the PUB has placed, for example, a 15 per cent cap on increases or...

Mr. Speaker, it’s not very often I get a chance to recognize a constituent down from Inuvik: Conrad Baetz, who works out of the North Mackenzie District for Indian and Northern Affairs and, I believe, his mother, Greta, beside him.

Mr. Speaker, if a Minister — I’ll use ENR as an example — deals with a department issue and has a group of individuals or a conference, the department would pick up those costs on that side of it. The ministerial piece would be if the Minister himself were to meet with Members, for example, or Ministers from other jurisdictions on other related matters. But if a Minister is specifically meeting and that has been set up to deal with the department or deal with counterparts across the country on files within the department, the department would cover those costs.

Mr. Speaker, we follow the same pattern as employees would have for annual leave, for example. Sick leave, though, is different. You can accrue that, but there is no payout at any time for that piece. Annual leave, there is payout for that, as there has been in previous Assemblies.

If something were to happen, it may be a reality. The fact is we have looked at our areas where we have direct responsibility. In fact, when there was an issue about some shortages in the higher parts of the territory last year, the Department of Public Works and Services looked at routes Over the Top to look at resupply from other areas to ensure there was no shortage in the Northwest Territories.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We became aware even previously. Last year, for example, there was talk of a shortage across Western Canada. The announcement that the Member is speaking about was refinery issues in Southern Canada.

For our supply here in the North — for example, to our remote communities — that’s resupplied by our Petroleum Products Division. Their fuel is up to max on the diesel side. For example as well, within the Power Corporation, at the Yellowknife facility, we have surplus supply there. We’ve taken the necessary steps and actions to protect ourselves here in the Northwest...

Mr. Speaker, we know that once a Regular Member is elected to Cabinet, their constituents lose a certain amount of representation because of the new role that Ministers, including myself, play in representing the territory. The budget is a territorial document, and this House decides on that.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and I thank the Member for that question. In fact, it gives me an opportunity to speak about the call I made to Premier Charest when the idea of the meeting first came together. I followed up with him yesterday after the meeting again to discuss some of the events that occurred and a direction being set and the call, in agreement with the Prime Minister, to hold a First Ministers’ meeting before Christmas. We’re hoping to get the dates on that soon.

The reason I didn’t make the trip initially…. As I’ve said, I confirmed with Premier Charest that I was hoping to make...

Mr. Speaker, there are a number of things that are being reviewed in highlights of the upcoming budget preparations. More recently, for example, we’ve increased the Seniors Fuel Subsidy to limit the impact of the cost of living on our seniors who are on fixed incomes. That’s one of the areas, and again, that is short term. Other things we have to look at are mini hydro in some of our communities and wind technology to be put in place.

I think one of the other things we do need to look at, again, goes back to our main power source in the Northwest Territories and how we look at that. I stated...

The process that is laid before the Power Corporation and how it has to operate…. It goes through a very thorough review, and in fact it costs a substantial amount of money when it comes to putting the application before the PUB and justifying the costs that it operates under and establishing its rates and then going forward to see if it can get the approval.

As you look at the annual costs that we have to face here in the Northwest Territories, the Power Corporation is going through the same. For example, whenever a new package is negotiated with the employees, that has an impact. When...