Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I believe the Member is referring to the review that is undertaken by the lead Minister of the Energy Coordinating Committee, so I will refer that question to Minister Bob McLeod.

Mr. Speaker, the high cost of energy, one, is predominantly felt in the diesel communities is correct; but as we’ve seen lately, communities served by hydro felt the bite as well. We’ve heard a number of stories about the concerns of the increase in those communities. We have to look at all our options and that’s what the work that’s undergoing now through the Ministerial Energy Coordinating Committee, the review of the Power Corporation and the review of the ATCO proposal is to see what options are realistically on the table and what that might mean for the future of the North. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Some of the comments the Member has made in this area leads to what may be in the future. Right now it is an essential service. That is treated as such. We end up dealing as the biggest user and the supplier of power in the North. We end up dealing on an annual basis with either rate riders or the increased cost of that. We have to look at those areas. I believe that, as the proposals have been sent in to us, it is of interest. That is why we have this initial phase of reviewing that and would decide at a future date if we should go in on that date I have given to...

As I committed to Members when I met with them last, as we develop those and get closer to them I’ll sit down with Members and go through that with them and show them where that work is.

If I could sing I might try to do something here. The simple fact is I don’t know what car the Member has jumped in. He’s obviously heading down the wrong road.

We have an opportunity through this work to set the course for ourselves and the future generations of the Northwest Territories. We talk about cleaner energy, cheaper energy, and the abundance in the Northwest Territories. We have a huge abundance in the Northwest Territories that can offer cheaper, cleaner energy. How do we get there? The work that is laid out here will help us get there. I believe that and I want to make sure that we...

There comes a point when we look at all things, and I’ll go back to my history as working in a shop. When we have a vehicle that’s been with us for quite some time and the maintenance side starts to catch up and we have to do some major replacements, and we’re trying to look to the future as to will this vehicle carry us where we need to go, we do need to do some repair on that piece. Before we make that final decision, can I hang onto this for another 10 years, five years, or should I polish this thing up and put it up for sale? That’s a decision we have yet to get to. There is an order and...

Mr. Speaker, we’re doing the work internally on all the pieces that need to be done. Minister Bob McLeod could reference the energy rates regulation subsidy review that’s going on, the estimates there. The Power Corporation review is something we’re doing internally. The ATCO proposal right now is at phase one. Until we decide to get to the next step, we will have to look at how much more in depth that will be. Right now we’re using funding from within existing resources. I think, Mr. Speaker, we have to look at, yes, these pieces all will fit a puzzle but we have to ask ourselves when we talk...

Mr. Speaker, we do comparisons on the cost per kilowatt hour. It is very difficult, though, to find another jurisdiction like the Northwest Territories except, for example, Nunavut, and they’re even more predominantly dependent on fossil fuels. We have a mix of hydro and diesel. The Yukon has even more hydro than we do. Comparisons to southern jurisdictions is very different because they have a much larger rate base and that’s what also affects and drives our costs, but that shouldn’t stop us from looking at the future possibilities of what we can do as a government to try and stabilize rates...

I can’t speak for the last general rate application, if we had people there and what role they were playing in taking in the information. The Power Corporation is our corporation. We are the sole shareholder. We’ve been aware of the information. The Member is right; through the PUB, it is a rigorous process that it goes through. We have also heard from Members of this House and people across the Territory when they have to deal with the bump of rates. Whether it is a rate rider or a fuel stabilization rate rider or low water rate rider or just a general rate application increase, we have heard...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The ATCO proposal we have not made a final decision on that. That is why we are undertaking the review. Thank you.