Thank you, Mr. Jacobson. The honourable Minister responsible for Energy, Tourism and Investment, Mr. Bob McLeod.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’m responding as the chair of the Ministerial Energy Coordinating Committee to the Member’s questions. We are undertaking a number of reviews to look at finding ways to reduce the high cost of electricity in the Northwest Territories. We have received a report from the review panel that looked into electricity rates. There is a review of the Northwest Territories Power Corporation and we are working with the Standing Committee on Priorities and Planning to examine and develop the government response.
What is the original rationale for the administration fee attached to 48-hour disconnect notices and is that rationale applicable today?
If I could get the detailed information from the Member with regard to the actual bill we can endeavour to respond to the couple and to provide full answers to the questions once we have the bill in our hands.
On the basis of this couple having to pay this high of a power bill and having people in the communities that work for the Power Corporation on contract, maybe we should really look at seeing if these people are qualified on meter reading. Not only that, I think the Inuvik supervisors of the NTPC should really investigate this problem and actually return somebody’s calls instead of having it be brought up in the House.
Customer service is a very important priority for our government, so in all cases we’re working very hard to fulfill the needs of the clients. I will take the information and we’ll make sure that somebody responds very quickly to the clients.
Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Final supplementary, Mr. Jacobson.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. You know, these elders in the communities are probably not the only ones that are going through this in the communities of Tuk and the communities that I represent. I think we should go through the whole Inuvik region to see if we can send a third party in there out of Yellowknife to go and look at the customer service, get the customer service satisfaction thing out into the communities to see if the people are actually being serviced with regard to the high power rates and all these big bonuses that we have to pay every year.
I appreciate those comments. We are reviewing the Northwest Territories Power Corporation. Once we get the report and I’ve had a chance to examine the recommendations, I’m sure that we will be looking at some of the issues the Member brought up.
Thank you, Mr. McLeod. The honourable Member for Nahendeh, Mr. Menicoche.
Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I just wanted to ask the Minister of ITI a few questions on conducting post-mortems on failed businesses. I’ve had a bed and breakfast fail in the community of Fort Simpson and conducting a post-mortem on that business would kind of look at how the Department of ITI could be more helpful, or the BDIC, in this situation and why did the business fail. I’m not too sure if it’s our responsibility, but is there anything within the department mechanism or program that could assist in something of this nature?
Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. The honourable Minister responsible for Industry, Tourism and Investment, Mr. Bob McLeod.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I think the failure rate of small businesses is quite high not only in the Northwest Territories but all across Canada, especially in the first year of operation. So we have a process called Aftercare, where we look at the way we provide services and wherever we’re involved in a business and it goes under, then we want to know what some of the reasons were for the business going under and to try to find out exactly why. So if we do have a similar business in the future, we would have a very good idea of some of the pitfalls that they could come up against.
In this case it was an actual aboriginal business that had failed. I’m pleased to hear that there’s an Aftercare Program. What begins the mechanism to do a post-mortem or to look at other businesses and how we can fine tune our programs or how we could be more responsive to the needs of that business?
Generally we would only look at those businesses that we are involved with either though BDIC or through the officers that we have working in the different regions or community transfer economic development officers. Essentially that’s how it would come about.
I wasn’t quite sure if the Minister said that BDIC had their own separate program to look at a business and how they could have been better helpful to that business. If anything, I was asking about our ITI department. How do we kick in the mechanism? Is it up to the business owner to ask ITI or is that something that we do as a normal course of our business? There’s a failed business out there. Bills are going to be piling up. At what point does ITI step in and use this separate mechanism to examine if this business could have kept going or what could be done better in the future?
We do have a seamless operation when it comes to the issuing of loans and contributions. The difference, it all depends on the business itself. If we do have an interest in there, then we can go in there and do a post-mortem. If it’s somebody in the private sector, then we would probably have to respond to their request in order to be able to gain access to information which is generally private information.
Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Final supplementary, Mr. Menicoche.
Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I was just trying to find out the best way we can help businesses that have failed. I think one of the best ways is to conduct a post-mortem. I’d like to ask the Minister if he can look at a program or some type of mechanism within ITI where they do set up a procedure or checklist that can help future businesses by examining those that fail.
We’ll ensure that we do that. I think we have existing programs through our Aftercare Program.
Thank you, Mr. McLeod. The honourable Member for Tu Nedhe, Mr. Beaulieu.
Mahsi cho, Mr. Speaker. In small communities like Lutselk’e and Fort Resolution there is a unique opportunity for RCMP members to get involved in the community and have a lasting, positive impact on residents, particularly the youth. I have questions for the Minister of Justice on this. Can the Minister advise me if the RCMP members have the option to remain in the community longer than the standard two-year posting?
Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu. The honourable Minister responsible for Justice, Mr. Lafferty.
Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. It is possible for a posting to be extended within the RCMP “G” Division, but there are certain factors taken into consideration. Whether it be the needs of the community, the needs of the force overall in the particular community and the overall force, and also the timing of the request. They have to give advance notice if there’s going to be a staffing plan for “G” Division and it is done well in advance. But it is possible for an extension at the community level. Mahsi.
Mr. Speaker, for the benefit of both the Member and the community, will the Minister discuss the possibility of having RCMP officers complete community orientation prior to taking a posting in that community? Thank you.
Yes, that is part of the discussion that we’ve continuously had with the RCMP “G” Division and also the commanding officer. I think it’s important to realize the cultural aspect of it and the size of the community. Orientation to the community plays a big factor. So, Mr. Speaker, this has been on the table with our meeting with “G” Division and then we will continue to discuss that, Mr. Speaker. Mahsi.
Mr. Speaker, it is common for new graduate officers to be posted in the smaller communities. Would the Minister discuss with the RCMP a proposal that sees these new recruits placed with veteran members? For example, somebody that may have 10-plus years or so instead of two new recruits into a community. Thank you.
Mr. Speaker, this has been brought forward at the national table, as well, where we had an incident in Hay River, a bad incident, and also a small community in Nunavut. So this has been brought forward and the discussion has been that we need those officers, new recruits, with a mentor that may have five to 10 years’ experience. So those are the discussions that we’ve had with the RCMP “G” Division, the importance and the relevance of it. So, yes, this is clearly a priority for us that we continue to recommend to the RCMP “G” Division. Mahsi.
Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. Your final supplementary, Mr. Beaulieu.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Will the Minister advise me of his findings from those discussions with the RCMP so that I can keep my communities informed? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu. Mr. Lafferty.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, indeed, I will advise the Member of our progress to date on this particular piece of work that’s important to all communities. So I will keep the Members informed of our progress to date on my meetings with the new commanding officer that’s coming on stream February 23rd, and we will definitely discuss this going forward. Mahsi.
Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. The honourable Member for Kam Lake, Mr. Ramsay.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’ve got some questions for the Minister of Transportation. Again, I’m trying to understand the rationale for not going to tender on the remaining work on the Deh Cho Bridge Project. I’m trying to square that up, Mr. Speaker and looking back at Monday’s unedited Hansard, the Minister is quoted as saying, from page 26, we have a company that’s been able to identify the steel production, the places and slots that we’ve had a reserve in terms of guaranteeing that we’re going to hit the November 2011 time frame. The Minister talks about one company that’s reserved this steel production, but from the information I have, it’s the Deh Cho Bridge Corporation that’s reserved this steel, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to ask the Minister if that is indeed the case. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. The honourable Minister responsible for Transportation, Mr. Michael McLeod.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The reservation of steel and the production of steel has been something that we were concerned about and there have been allowances made and we’ve put our reservations in the appropriate production companies to have the steel available when we’re going to need it. The Member is correct; it’s transferrable to different companies. Thank you.
If that’s the case, I’m just wondering why the Minister, on Monday, said that one company had identified the steel production when, in fact, Mr. Speaker, I believe it is the Deh Cho Bridge Corporation that has reserved this steel. Again, that gets me back to my other question, is if the Deh Cho Bridge Corporation has reserved this steel, why wasn’t this opened up to a competitive process so many companies could bid on it? They could obviously take over those orders for steel if they were the successful bidder, Mr. Speaker. Thank you.
Mr. Speaker, the arrangements for slots and the steel production have been made. The responsibility would go to the contractor to order the steel and that is something we need to move forward on fairly quick. Mr. Speaker, that was my information provided to the Member. The steel, however, ordered through one company can be utilized through a different company, if that was the desire of this project. Thank you.
Mr. Speaker, I think this is a pretty important point in this. I find it hard to believe that a company that the Government of the Northwest Territories is negotiating with could order this steel without a contract. I can see where the Deh Cho Bridge Corporation could pre-order the steel, yes, but not a company we’re currently under negotiations with. So that’s an important factor, Mr. Speaker. Again, I’d like to ask the Minister, now that the project management team has been replaced, who’s negotiating on behalf of the Government of the Northwest Territories? Who’s protecting our interests and the taxpayers’ interest here in the Northwest Territories when it relates to that project, Mr. Speaker? Thank you.
The Member is asking some very detailed questions that I’m reluctant to provide for in the public right now. There is a team that’s put together. There’s a transition that’s happening with the Deh Cho Bridge Corporation and ourselves and I have provided the information to him that we have one of our own Transportation people who is involved and we also have a firm that we have hired to work with us. We will provide that information, disclose the names, whatever information he wants when the supp comes forward for discussion. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Your final supplementary, Mr. Ramsay.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I look forward to finally getting that information when it does become available. I’d like to ask the Minister, is the new contractor, whoever that’s going to be, going to be bonded to do the work in the Northwest Territories, the remaining portion of that work on the Deh Cho Bridge Project? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I know the Member’s got a low opinion of this project and I’m surprised he would even stoop that low to ask about whether we’re going to do a contract without bonding for this price. I mean, that would be ridiculous. Of course we have bonding.
Thank you, Mr. McLeod. The honourable Member for Frame Lake, Ms. Bisaro.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to address a few more questions to the Minister of Finance with regard to an NWT green fund. I have to ask the Minister if lowering greenhouse gas emissions is a priority for this government, which I hope that it is and I think I’ve heard the Minister say that. It also seems to be a priority for our communities to develop community energy plans, because we have assisted them in doing that. Community energy plans have goals and they have objectives. So, in my estimation, we should be involving our communities in all of the activities that we do and we should be making things easier for them. So I want to ask the Minister why he is not responding to my questions and enabling communities to achieve their community energy plan goals and objectives. Thank you.
Thank you, Ms. Bisaro. The honourable Minister responsible for Finance, Mr. Miltenberger.
