Kevin A. Menicoche

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I move that committee reports progress.

---Carried

Thank you very much, Mr. Chair. Just with regard to programs and district operations, I noticed that the budget looks fairly stable, down by $3 million. If you look further down under program delivery details, you see that the Nahendeh district is down, one of those 30 percent of the $3 million that this program is down. Can the Minister give me an explanation as to why that is?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’ll make it as brief as I can. Does the Minister agree to look at ways to make fuel prices more fair and reasonable in small communities, such as a freight subsidy or another form of subsidy? Thank you.

Can the Minister tell me how often these fuel prices are reviewed?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My constituents tell me that they love the small town life. The petroleum products division provides fuel to a number of these small towns in my riding. Fuel is delivered in the winter; however, the fuel rates are set in July and sold at a fixed rate throughout the year. Rates can be very high and put a lot of pressure on people who rely on the traditional economy. Many people in small communities choose to live there because they can pursue traditional lifestyles. They choose to live this way and they have a right to do so.

Aboriginal governments and organizations, and...

Thank you very much, Madam Chair. I’m pleased to take the opportunity for some general comments on Industry, Tourism and Investment and some of the initiatives that we as Regular Members have been seeking in the department, especially being responsive enough to see that need of increasing our tourism budget up by $600,000 for this fiscal year. I’d sure like to have the department utilize those dollars, because I know that some of the initiatives, not only in the department, but along with NWT Tourism and some of their budgeting, we can certainly double their budgets and thereby have more of an...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions are for the Minister of Public Works and Services.

Please provide the total cost of fuel delivery to NWT communities served by the petroleum products division of Public Works and Services.

Please provide the total cost of fuel delivery in Nahendeh communities served by the petroleum products division of Public Works and Services.

Please provide an estimate to offer a fuel subsidy to all communities served by the petroleum products division of Public Works and Services.

Thank you.

What happens to the money that is collected when fuel prices go down after the rate is fixed in the communities served by the petroleum products division?

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I would like to ask the Minister of Public Works and Services questions related to my Member’s statement earlier about freight costs for the fuel hauled into the remote communities. How does the petroleum products division currently set its fuel rates in the remote communities? Thank you.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Committee wishes to consider Tabled Document 9-17(4), NWT Main Estimates, 2013-2014, with continued deliberations of ITI and NWT Housing Corporation. Thank you.