Kevin O'Reilly

Thanks, Mr. Chair. So, if I was not confused before, I am even more confused now. Who do I ask questions of in terms of policy direction and with regard to net metering? It is listed in the mandate as an Executive responsibility. The Minister has just told me that it is the Public Utilities Board, and now he said earlier that the administrative responsibility for the staff person is being moved to Infrastructure. Which Minister do I ask questions of in terms of policy direction with regard to where our government is going to support net metering? Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thanks, Mr. Chair. I appreciate that. I am sure we are all going to look forward to getting that bill, and committee will do its work. I understood that the original plan was to partner with the city and run the dispatch response part of the 911 service in collaboration with the city using the fire hall here in Yellowknife. It sounds like the plan has changed. Can the Minister just tell us how and why that change took place? Thanks, Mr. Chair.

Thanks, Mr. Chair. I don't think that was in answer to the question I asked. The position in Yellowknife, is it being cut to help fund the position in Inuvik? Thanks Mr. Chair.

Thanks. I will be the first to admit that I do not read or see every single piece of correspondence, so if the Minister wants to give me a copy, that is fine. I will go back, though, to my earlier question then: is the Minister suggesting that the five questions about where we are going with net metering, that I cannot ask him, that I need to wait until the Minister of Infrastructure is up? Thanks, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. So when might we expect to see a bill come into the House to implement 911? Thanks, Mr. Chair.

Thanks, Mr. Chair. I'm looking at the business plan that is now a public document, and I see that the geomatics portion of this activity area decreases from about $3,063,000 to $2.7 million, so can someone tell me what is happening in here? Are we cutting money in here so we can fund the Western Arctic Geomatics Centre, or what is happening, Mr. Chair? Thank you.

Thanks, Mr. Chair. I appreciate that. That comes as news to me. I never heard that before that the Public Utilities Board is going to be moved to administration or ministerial reporting, or whatever is going to go to Infrastructure. If I have questions, then, about how we are actually going to support net metering, is the Minister then suggesting that I need to ask those of the Minister of Infrastructure? Thanks, Mr. Chair.

Yes, I am happy to accept that, but we have been talking about this for two years. At least I have been talking about it for two years. There is currently unsecured liability for the existing condition of the site. Yes, they have met terms and conditions of the water licence, they have paid up the security under the water licence to the state that it is at, but right now we do not have enough security set aside if something went off the rails with the property to cover the existing liabilities. That is the problem. If the Minister has discretion to change that so that we are not on the hook...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I guess I will just go on record as having questions or concerns about this particular expenditure. If there had been more of an emphasis on infrastructure, maybe getting our territorial formula funding arrangement changed, I could support this. It looks to me like this is a lot of the sort of messaging that the Premier has already started with his red alert campaign. I don't think I could support this.

I want to move on to one other item in this section of the budget. It is also highlighted in the budget address document of additional $595,000 to be allocated to help...

Thanks, Mr. Chair. In this section, there is a line item here for Public Utilities Board. In the mandate for the 18th Assembly, one of the commitments is to improve net metering for our residents so that we can try to build more energy self-sufficiency. Have there been any changes in direction to the Public Utilities Board with regard to net metering? Thanks, Mr. Chair.