Michael Miltenberger

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. There are issues with the Cantung Mine. They’ve filed for creditor protection and there’s a lot of work underway with the involved governments to work through the process of what that would mean to make sure that we protect our interests. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. In regards to Stanton, the plan, as we will lay out tonight in detail, is going to be for a new hospital with the old hospital being designated for some other use in the coming years.

In regard to the $28 million for communities, what we have done is protected that money from any reductions, recognizing that it is a critical need and that as we manage our money and look at balancing our expenditures and revenues, that’s one area that was deemed to be in need of protection. I appreciate the Member’s comments both about the planning studies and the extended care facility...

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I appreciate the Member’s comments. In regards to the issue of lack of community energy projects, I think there’s a number that have been put in, either in the community or through NTPC, if I could refer to Colville Lake, for example, or Lutselk’e, where we’ve got power purchase agreements. We spent hundreds of thousands of dollars taking a look at Deline. We’ve got biomass, albeit in our own buildings for the most part. We’ve promoted and are helping build an industry now.

I appreciate there’s a need to do more. We have an expression of interest coming out, for example...

Yes, Mr. Chairman.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. If the Member would have the time to put his fingers to the keyboard and send me an outline and I’ll listen to the discussion and I’m interested to have further discussions about that. But for greater clarity, he could give us how clear it is on this issue in terms of key points that he’d like to see environmental awards, and we will definitely give it serious consideration. Thank you.

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.