Roger Allen

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. With all due respect, I understand there are continual increases in costs to provide sustainable power. I guess the emphasis would be in terms of the fiscal strategy, in trying to meet some of the increased costs that are sometimes in the control of the environment. I would like to ask if the power support program would support alternative power sources such as voltaic or solar panelling, solar energy, as a way of mitigating some of the individual's costs, especially in the remote communities where there should be less demand on diesel generation, for instance....

Thank you, Madam Chair. I would strongly suggest that we conclude or continue to review the Department of Finance, and if we conclude in time, that we move on to the report on the Financial Management Board Secretariat. With that, Madam Chair, that is what I would suggest. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Since this is a Friday session, I want to put a little poetry into my Member’s statement today, a poem written about my wife and I as we travelled into rural Canada to promote and educate people about the Northwest Territories. A local poet by the name of Ken Blacklock wrote this poem on March 7, 2004. I haven’t gotten up to recite a poem since my university days at the University of Colorado in 1972 or 1973, so I ask you to indulge me as I may sound awfully rusty. Here goes my concerted effort, Mr. Speaker.

“Though politicians ain’t always my friends,

Today I will...

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I would like to ask a question to the Minister and his officials. Would someone who has self-generation be eligible for a subsidy out of this power subsidy program? That will be my final question to the Minister. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. My comments are specifically related to the $1.127 million increase to the power subsidy program. It concerns me greatly, Mr. Chairman, that the territorial power support program has a significant increase on an annual basis. It comes back to the very point I want to make, and unfortunately there's nowhere in the budget process that we can address this to the NWT Power Corporation. I think it requires us to revisit some of the many contributing factors as this power subsidy program increases at an alarming rate. One of the issues that was raised to me in the last...

Thank you, Madam Chair. I want to again raise the profile of some of my correspondence I had with the Minister in terms of new tax initiatives; not tax changes to increase personal tax and other methodologies that were suggested. I think it's important to concentrate basically on pages 6 and 7 of the Finance Minister's address yesterday, and try to conceptualize where he wants to fit it into the opening remarks today.

I believe we all recognize the difficulty he has with Finance Canada in trying to come to a conclusion on the formula financing agreement; we're all aware of that, territory...

Thank you, Madam Chairperson. I would suggest that the committee consider Bill 1, Appropriation Act, 2004-2005, and Committee Report 1-15(3). Perhaps we can begin with general comments on the Appropriation Act to be followed by consideration of this from the Department of Finance and should we conclude that, then commence the Financial Management Board Secretariat. Thank you, Madam Chairperson.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’m pleased to hear that and my final question to the Minister then is, is he willing to put more money toward the marketing aspect of that resource development in support of the trappers? Once they’re on the land they’re self-sustaining, as we know as previous trappers, hunters and food gatherers. So I’m going to ask if he’s prepared to put money into the marketing aspect of that sector of the economy. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I hope I find a Minister that doesn’t take my question as notice. I certainly want to raise that point with the Speaker. Today, Mr. Speaker, in the context of my Member’s statement and also the replies to the opening address, I want to ask the Minister of RWED if he’s willing to work with his department to change the philosophy from one of enforcement to one that supports resource development in the smaller communities across the Northwest Territories. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I seek unanimous consent to waive Rule 93(4) and have Committee Report 1-15(3) moved into Committee of the Whole for today. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.