Michael Miltenberger

I have with me Mike Aumond, deputy minister of Finance; and Sandy Kalgutkar, deputy secretary to the FMB. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. It will be completed this summer during the existing construction season. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I am here to present Supplementary Estimates (Operations Expenditures), No. 4, 2014-2015. This document proposes an increase of $25.337 million in operations expenditures associated with a non-cash expenditure for a one-time increase to the total environmental liability in response to changing accounting standards that became effective for the 2014-15 fiscal year.

I am prepared to review the details of the supplementary estimates document.

No, we are still going to hit the schedule as laid out. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We’re already in the process of planning for the capital plan for next year as well as the initial business planning process. So we are going to be looking at the format. We’ll see if there are any things that come out right away that could be done in the short term, mid-term, long term. We don’t want to run holus-bolus here. We have to understand what’s in the report, the detail, and we have to look at other jurisdictions, check the landscape, not try to reinvent the wheel. So, we will take careful, measured steps as we continue to provide a very, very well-run...

Some would suggest that intervening in a process that’s already underway would be meeting with one of the proponents after the public process has started, as has occurred. However, the issue here is very clear. It’s a political one. I’m the Minister responsible. I’m very well aware of the political sensitivities that this issue has, that if the Power Corporation would have gone ahead without political due diligence we would be in a considerably different situation. Then we would be getting pilloried and vilified and hectored for different reasons. We have covered the bases. We have looked at...

I wasn’t expecting to dissolve the Power Corporation. The Power Corporation is a critical vehicle for the territorial government and its energy policy. However, the relationship has evolved over the years. There was a time, many Legislative Assemblies ago, when there was a dividend required from the Power Corporation, but as things have changed, cost of energy has gone up, the decision was made to not require the dividend, to reinvest whatever money they have back into keeping the costs as low as possible.

We have had to engage with the Power Corporation clearly in a way that it doesn’t make it...

The final decision on what projects to invest in to secure our economic future belongs to the 18th Legislative Assembly.

Our fiscal challenges are not unique and we will not be shrinking from them. Recognizing our reality prepares us for the tough choices we will have to make now and in the future. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wish to table the following letter from the mayor of Hay River, dated May 27, 2015, regarding support for the NWT Power Corporation bid. Thank you.

The government has been very consistent in its approach to energy and to the Power Corporation to how we deliver things, how we deliver power, our emphasis on the cost of living, and it’s very, very simple. The issue that the Member refers to, we have the proof before us. You have one community at 31 cents per kilowatt, you have two neighbouring communities at 21 cents per kilowatt.

Can we effect a positive change? Yes, we can. I believe that we will significantly close that gap if that opportunity is presented to the Power Corporation.