Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Electricity, we can’t live without it. We grumble every time the power bill comes in. It drives up the costs of living in our communities. Next to food and rent or housing costs, our power bill is the one element that most contributes to our high cost of living in the North.
Two and a half years ago the government reviewed electricity rates in the NWT. As a result, power rates across most of the NWT were changed, for the better, mind you. Those rates were frozen for two years. Those two years are up right now and we’re about to feel the result of that freeze as our power bills are set to increase 25 percent in the next three and a half years. To soften the blow, the government now chooses to subsidize that rate increase instead of addressing the root causes of our high power bills.
We need to reduce our reliance on diesel generation and look to green, renewable sources of power. We had the opportunity to start down that road three years ago. Instead of pouring money into subsidies we should have applied that money to energy initiatives. Initiatives like determining alternative sources for power generation, greener sources, cheaper sources. We did not.
In 2009 the general view of those consulted on electricity rates was that it was time for the creation of a long-term vision for electricity and almost all believed that the GNWT should develop, direct and lead such a vision. The GNWT chose the easy road and left any thought of a vision behind.
It will take a long time to transform any vision into real projects to achieve cheap power sources for each and every one of our communities. That’s not a reason not to start. The 16th Assembly showed some recognition of the urgency of the issue and committed $60 million to energy projects over the life of the Assembly. In the 17th Assembly that funding has come to a screeching halt, nowhere to be found.
We can’t keep throwing money at our high power rates and taking such short-term actions. We have to take a longer-term view of the problem and that means putting money into the 2012-2013 budget to attack the root causes of our high power bills. If we don’t, we’re doomed to ever-increasing power bills, an ever-increasing cost of living, and an exodus of people leaving the NWT because of it.
Thank you, Ms. Bisaro. Colleagues, before we go on I would like to remind you that when a Member is speaking, the mics can really pick up sidebar conversations. Please give the Member the attention they are due for their statements. The honourable Member for Mackenzie Delta, Mr. Blake.
