Michael Miltenberger

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. There is no bias in the system. The whole intent was to create a system that was more even and less complex, hence the thermal rates and the Yellowknife rates. One of the big factors in Yellowknife and Hay River, plus a couple of small communities, is there is another power distributor, NUL. While we provide and sell power at wholesale rates, the provider in these communities adds their own costs on top of that, which is why there is such a distinct difference, for example, between Hay River and Fort Smith, why there is such a distinct difference between the power rates...

Mr. Speaker, I seek consent to proceed with first reading of Bill 30, Appropriation Act (Infrastructure Expenditures), 2014-2015.

---Consent granted

I want to make it clear that we’ll want to look at the numbers clearly. If you use a global number of spills, some of them are going to be very small; some of them will be larger, as the Member has indicated. We have to set up the processes as we take over. We want to make sure that we have the capacity to monitor, to do a better job, to work with the industry, to work with the National Energy Board to bring a better focus to bear, but there is a reality that if you have this type of activity with that type of material being moved, and given the fact that they’ve been in operation for decades...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Great Slave, that Bill 28, Supplementary Appropriation (Infrastructure Expenditures), No. 3, 2013-2014, be read for the first time.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. ENR does have a spill line. It’s operational 24 hours a day. Plus, as well, we rely, as the Member well knows in his constituency, on reports from folks that are on the land. They have been very, very helpful in spotting leaks, especially on the pipeline. There is that opportunity there. The National Energy Board has responsibility for responding to leaks at production sites and exploration sites, but clearly, when you look at the map across Canada where spills occur, I mean, it’s very clear that when there’s oil and gas, this type of situation is going to occur, given...

Not at all, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. When we provide the information to the Member, I’ll be happy to share the cost breakdowns by community, what they sell the power for, what residents pay for in the hydro communities. I can lay out, as well, for thermal communities, but the residential rate is pegged to the Yellowknife rate. There is a cost difference based on who the distributor, who the provider of power is.

Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Monfwi, that Bill 30, Appropriation Act (Infrastructure Expenditures), 2014-2015, be read for the third time. Thank you.

Thank you. We have a commitment to an ongoing role here in the Wildlife Act that will engage what is now currently called the Stakeholders Wildlife Act Advisory Group to make sure that we have that ongoing potential opportunity for input. As well, we will work on an ongoing basis with ENR to get feedback from outfitters. In the North Slave there are no settled claims. We’re trying to work out a process on a going-forward basis with the Wek’eezhii, which has a settled claim, but there’s none in the North Slave with the Akaitcho. The Northwest Territories Metis, as well, have some claims up here...

Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Great Slave, that Bill 28, Supplementary Appropriation Act (Infrastructure Expenditures), No. 3, 2013-2014, be read for the third time.