Michael Miltenberger

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I appreciate the Member’s interest and comments about alternative energy and his interest in hydro.

I would point out that we have done a significant amount of retrofits, for example, and we are saving many hundreds of thousands of dollars, which is a lot of rice. It should be appreciated for the value that it brings. I know that the Member supports that approach.

In terms of the hydro project and in Taltson, we spent over the last probably two Assemblies about $13 million doing technical assessments both on the project at the Taltson site and the other piece was the...

Thank you, Madam Chair. I appreciate the Member’s comments about the committee letters. The responses have gone out. They should be available to Members. They went out this morning.

In regard to the recommendations coming out of committee, we’re also scheduled to meet with committee at the rise of the House on Monday to have further discussion about the detail.

I would point out that while we anticipate and are planning for $74 million surplus in 2012-13, the reality is we have debt of about $656 million. The majority of that, while it is self-liquidating, leaves us with about 240 to 260...

Thank you, Madam Chair. I’d like to thank the Member for his kind words about the budget and the work that we’ve all put into developing this, both MLAs, Cabinet and, of course, the people in government.

I want to reassure the Member that he talked about not abandoning the communities and don’t take back the funding and withdraw funding. In this budget there are no program cuts. We’ve reinvested and are continuing to support all the departments’ programs and services that we do provide.

As we talk about a climate of certainty economically, we, as well, agree and we want to, for many reasons, but...

Thank you, Madam Chair. I have with me Mike Aumond, deputy minister of Finance.

Mr. Speaker, there are things that have happened in the past that have their own character and complexity and annex. The reality is, and I will say it again, the Government of the Northwest Territories is involved and will continue to be involved with the community of Norman Wells in looking at its long-term energy needs as we deal with the direction and indication from Imperial Oil that their access to gas is going to be cut off. That work is already underway.

The good news is, as I have indicated, we have assurances that NTPC will not be impacted in the near term and the work is underway with...

The Government of the Northwest Territories has been involved in this process, a party to the work that is underway. We have a commitment and an obligation, as we have assisted in the past in Inuvik when they converted from the high temperature system to natural gas, to work through the process with the community and to make sure that we are there to assist so that there is not an undue burden placed on individual citizens of Norman Wells. Thank you.

As the Minister of ITI proceeds with the work on his Economic Development Strategy, there will be a consultation of the nature that the Member has raised.

I would also point out that I referenced the suite of programs and opportunities that are there related to traditional pursuits. There are programs that deal with the northern fishery, there are processing opportunities, we have a Manufacturing Policy, we have a Business Incentive Policy.

The work we’re doing long-term with all the energy initiatives are all geared towards trying to lower the cost of living in communities. One of the biggest...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. There is a range of existing initiatives across government. The Minister of ITI is looking at an Economic Development Strategy. We’re talking about, as well, and I reference in my address, the fur and trapping programs that we’re trying to encourage people to put money into the hands of trappers to get kids, young people on the land. We have the seed funding that is available through ITI. There’s a range across government.

More importantly, I would ask the Member – even though it’s not my position to ask questions in this House – if the Member has specific suggestions...

Mr. Speaker, there are three key components to a broad territorial-wide Energy Strategy that I believe in the coming life of this Assembly. One of them is the one the Member has talked about, which is the Hydro Strategy. We are visiting that. There are also significant opportunities, for example in places like Deline to put in power in a very environmentally sustainable, friendly way. The Solar Strategy will help us address the crushing diesel costs in the thermal communities. Then we have the broader issue and the pressing issue of sorting out the Inuvik long-term energy needs.

All of these...

Thank you, Madam Chair. The Member is correct in terms of his comment about having to make tough decisions. We identified that and identified that in the budget address yesterday as well. The next two years are going to require our fiscal discipline and resolve as a collective to meet the targets that we’re trying to set out for ourselves.

We are committed and will have the ongoing discussion about the Inuvik gas situation.

While overall I agree with the Member that from a high level the overall indicators for the economy in the Northwest Territories are good, it’s not that evenly spread. There...