Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I, too, wish to speak to the issue of concerns regarding the multi reviews of the NWT Power Corporation, as my colleague Mrs. Groenewegen has. Mr. Speaker, it has been my experience when a company as big as ATCO comes forward knocking on our door in the spirit of partnership, it is either in the context to share the risk or they want to share in the profit. We would be fooling ourselves to really think that ATCO needs us, so let’s stop kidding ourselves. They are eyeing our long-term projects. With the Taltson Expansion Project just about to go, with Bear River hydro project on our long-term horizon and if anyone would finally put two and two together, someone would realize that we have a long-term hostile takeover with roses and chocolates in the name of the joint partnership, Mr. Speaker.
Now, let’s not get this wrong. I don’t think of this company as evil, but they have shareholders who need a profit and certainly they are about taking market control. Mr. Speaker, the obvious is this: They are trying to lock up control of power generation in western and northern Canada, period. Let’s face it. When it comes to a utility, I assure you they like the northern environment when it comes to the operations of power utilities.
We have the power utility that is sometimes viewed as untouchable and often described as arm’s length for the benefit and the instruction to Members of this House. The utility looks more autocratic, Mr. Speaker, than a public entity and it has more secrets than an illuminati; and I certainly would not be surprised if they have secret passwords and special handshakes. They, in the end, are answerable to no one; not to me, not to this Legislature, not to the people. So I can see why ATCO would like to join this group. It must be a lot of fun. Mr. Speaker.
Now we have multi reviews going on with no mandate or terms of reference. We have all heard about the ATCO proposal. It has no terms of reference. This is an essential service, Mr. Speaker. If this government is going to give away our power, what is next, our water? We have ATCO representatives watching this proposal closely. We have governments, Executive Council members watching this, but where are the representatives for the people on this deal? There are none.
Mr. Speaker, NWT Power Corporation is looking at doing a value for money performance audit that was forced by this Legislature, but there is still no term of reference or schedule for that. What now? Again, the public interest seems to be overlooked.
Mr. Speaker, may I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement? Thank you.
---Unanimous consent granted
Thank you, colleagues. Mr. Speaker, there is an electrical review that is supposed to go on, but again no terms of reference, no mandate. There is none. They will travel all through the North and meet a lot of great people. The press release reads, engage NWT residents of a territorial-wide discussion. That is exactly what they will get, a discussion on everything. Mr. Speaker, it is going to take the direction of the JRP hearings. It is going to run for as long as people can talk.
Mr. Speaker, I challenge the Premier to table terms of reference and show us how the mandates of all of these reviews are going to work together. Mr. Speaker, I say that if we really want to give away our power utilities, Mr. Speaker, I would challenge the Premier to talk to our northern development groups to work together and make sure this essential asset is northern based and northern owned. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. The honourable Member for Great Slave, Mr. Abernethy.
