Michael Miltenberger

Mr. Speaker, I wish to table the following two documents, entitled “Northwest Territories Capital Estimates, 2016-2017” and “GNWT Response to CR 16-17(5): Report on the Review of the 2013-2014 Public Accounts.”

We, as the government, are looking at how we make sure that our revenues and expenditures, on a going forward basis, stay the same, that our expenditures do not exceed our revenues and that we don’t start borrowing money for programs that we anticipate and plan for what has been determined and demonstrated to be a flat economy with revenues going down. So, we have an obligation as we look to making sure that the 18th Assembly is provided with the best information possible, to pull together all that information for the consideration of the 18th Assembly.

I want to point out that it’s anticipated...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Member is getting way ahead of himself on this particular issue. There is going to be no budget that’s done by this government. The only budget we’re dealing with is the capital plan budget before the House, and what we will be providing is a transitional document that encompasses a whole range of activities that Members are aware of, and the incoming government and Assembly then will make their own determination once they get their briefings. The fiscal forecasts, the issues and challenges before them and opportunities and decisions will be made to exactly what...

The operative word at this point is it “could.” There are court proceedings that are underway; there’s discussion between the governments as well as following through the process as it’s laid out for this type of proceedings. That is part of the discussion that has to be resolved.

Yes, Mr. Speaker. Where the distributor is ATCO, and that’s four communities. Thank you.

There are four thermal communities where the distributor of power is Northland Utilities, ATCO, and in those four communities there’s a subsidy program that is funded by the Government of the Northwest Territories to make sure that the NUL rate that the customers pay is the same as the NTPC thermal rate. So, you have the two distributors and the government subsidizes to make sure that people across the Northwest Territories are treated equally when it comes to buying power in their communities, and that requires a subsidy, in this case, of half a million dollars a year.

The role of the environment and the importance of the environment to this Legislature, to the government and the people of the Northwest Territories is second to none in terms of priorities. So, yes, when it comes to doing the right thing with environment, including recognizing those folks who have spent their life doing good work as it pertains to the environment, we are interested. I am interested. If the Member will send me that information, I will give it my serious consideration and will put it on my ongoing list I have for discussion with the Department of Environment and Natural...

Mr. Speaker, I wish to table the following three documents, entitled “Inter-activity Transfers Exceeding $250,000 for the Period April 1, 2014, to March 31, 2015,” “Program Review Office Annual Report, June 2014” and “Executive Summary: Program Review Office Annual Report 2014.” Thank you.

MR. SPEAKER:

The Territorial Power Support Program is geared more for residential tenants. This is a special arrangement between the two distributors and, in fact, in Hay River it is in addition to this subsidy program through the thermal communities, Hay River as well, because their rates are 30 percent higher than their neighbours. They get about $360,000 a year subsidy, as well, to be paid by the people of the Northwest Territories. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. That fund is a Government of the Northwest Territories fund that is set up to subsidize the power rates in the NUL thermal communities, of which there are four, to subsidize those rates down to the NTPC thermal community rate and that subsidization is about half a million dollars a year of government money into the NUL subsidy of their rates. Thank you.