With respect to routing lines, there are several different options and there has been some costing suggested, but the costing was actually provided by Deze themselves and the NWT Hydro Corporation, both obviously proponents of a particular route. I was wondering if there was any opportunity or could the Premier facilitate the acquisition of costing that wasn’t done by the two organizations that want to go a particular direction. I think it would be interesting to get an independent assessment that would cross the islands, the island route or outside the sub-islands or even the western route...

I encourage the Premier to refocus this project and find a third-party partner who, in addition to understanding the value of making a profit, understands the social importance of this project and that the people of the Northwest Territories who are stakeholders and owners of the Northwest Territories Power Corporation and the NWT Hydro Corporation, and that their desires and wishes must be heard and addressed as the Taltson expansion moves forward.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Later today I will be asking the Premier some questions based on my Member’s statement. Thank you.

I get a business case, I understand it. Quite frankly, it makes sense to me. If you want to make a lot of money, the eastern route is the best thing. If I was a businessman or a member of Deze, that’s what I would want as well. But I’m not. I’m a territorial politician and so is the Premier and what we need to be doing is we need to be working in the best interest of the people of the Northwest Territories.

I’m not convinced that is the best route. I am happy the Premier is willing to meet with us and give us some additional information, but what I want to ask the Premier is if it’s too late to...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions are in follow-up to my Member’s statement. On March 3rd, in responding to questions from my colleague Mr. Bromley, the Premier said, according to the unedited Hansard, “We have looked at this project and this project has been built on a clear case of a business model. If we want to establish more to it, then we can do that.” Later, in response to another question, he indicated, according to unedited Hansard once again, “So if this project goes, and it will go only by the fact that it’s a business case model, if we add more to it, then we lose the business...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yesterday I made a Member’s statement with respect to the Taltson expansion and the importance of making decisions on a territorial resource that is in or for the public good. I followed that statement up with questions to the Premier and encouraged him to put the interests of the people of the Northwest Territories at the forefront of Cabinet decision-making on this project.

I strongly encouraged the Premier to work with Deze in the best interest of the people and, as a stakeholder, encourage them to consider alternate routes where long-term benefits are greater for the...

It starts on page 5, but before we get started we’ll take a short break. Thank you, Members.

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The Premier and Cabinet must do what is right, just, and for the public good, not the good of one company and their bottom line. This government must take control of our utilities and start building for the future. I will be asking the Premier questions at the appropriate time.

Thank you, Ms. Melhorn. Mr. Krutko.

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. All the Members have had the opportunity to make general comments. The Premier and Minister have responded. Is committee agreed that we have concluded general comments?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. There has been a significant amount of discussion regarding the Taltson Hydro Expansion Project over the last couple of months. My colleague Mr. Bromley made a clear, concise and reasonable statement on March 3, 2010, encouraging this government to take control of its utilities, the utilities it owns, and start building for the future. I couldn’t agree more.

There is merit in the Taltson hydro expansion. The project will provide some short-term economic stimuli during the construction and reduce the burning of diesel in mines and hopefully extend mine life or open up new...