Kevin A. Menicoche

Absolutely, I’m glad that the Minister wants to follow through this commitment of restoring nursing services to Wrigley. Just with respect to Dehcho Health and Social Services, they are a very efficient and effective board for our region. I, too, commend them for that.

I also know Wrigley’s got a facility. The nursing position is within their budget, and all they’ve got to do now is allocate that person year and move them to Wrigley. I’m not too sure what the difficulty there is now that there’s going to be some safety there.

I still do not know what the possible reason is for not following...

[Statement delivered in aboriginal language and then in English.]

Mr. Speaker, one long standing issue facing the community of Wrigley has been a lack of permanent nursing and policing services. The government’s position has been that until there are police stationed in Wrigley, Health and Social Services would not station a permanent nurse there.

The situation has changed, Mr. Speaker. There is now a guarantee that there will soon be policing services in that community, and I want to thank the Minister of Justice and the Government of the Northwest Territories for that.

On the same note, I do...

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Does the Minister know if a part of the general rate application community hearings — I think that’s what they’re proposing — will be in some of our smaller communities, in particular the Nahendeh communities?

I really believe that there’s got to be another way of doing this, that the Power Corporation is the one that submits the general rate application. They must have the ability to at least look at their operating costs to be able to determine some savings there, some efficiencies, and then use those internalized savings to pass on to the customers. Then maybe there is an increase, but it doesn’t have to be straight to the pocketbooks of our NWT residents.

Mahsi cho, Mr. Speaker. [English translation not provided.]

Mr. Speaker, the NTPC general rate increase for 2008, I’d like to address this burning issue for Nahendeh residents: a proposed increase in power rates to the NWT smaller communities. I have long been a champion of a standard flat rate system. That’s right: a one rate power zone. This, I believe, brings fairness and equality to all NWT residents in regard to having an essential service, electricity, in all our homes, the same access and the same benefits no matter where you live in our NWT.

One year ago I asked the Public Utilities...

I don’t think residents of Nahendeh believe that for a minute, because we have two distinct different operating communities. We’ve got South Lake, which uses a different utility provider, and then you’ve got a community like Nahanni Butte, which uses NTPC, and their rates are almost a dollar different there. How can that be? That’s why I believe in an internalized review of the NWT Power Corporation. How our people pay for this cost should be reviewed and internalized before we ask for an increase in rates for all the communities. I’d like the Minister to see if he can do that.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. My questions today are for the Minister responsible for the NWT Power Corporation with regard to the general rate application increase for 2008.

Once again, as in my Member’s statement, I said that residents disagree. I’m here to ask the Minister: is there a way to delay or defer this process until we get a good review of the NWT Power Corporation? Another way of doing business there is to look at reducing the operating costs. Can the Minister address that? Mahsi.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I will be voting in favour of this motion.

Constituents and businesses in my communities have indicated over and over again that the BIP provides an advantage to those in the communities. It supports businesses in our communities, and it supports the fact that outside businesses are not moving in and taking away opportunities and even jobs from the communities. It does assist our communities. Just once again, I’ll be voting in favour of the motion.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I seek unanimous consent to go back to Item 6 on the order paper.

I’m just concerned that if the department puts it off too long and tries to encompass the many, many changes that are contemplated for the Motor Vehicles Act, they’ll just push the date back for this. I’m just wondering if they’ve examined the possibility of doing separate legislation just for this alone.