Debates of October 28, 2004 (day 30)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my question will be to the Minister of FMBS, the Honourable Mr. Roland. Mr. Speaker, my concern is we need an attitude change out there because of the high cost of fuel. What is our government doing to monitor the consumption of energy, referring to both power, as well as fuel oil with respect to GNWT assets? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. The honourable Minister responsible for the FMBS, Mr. Roland.

Return To Question 327-15(3): Monitoring Energy Consumption

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as a government, we have on a number of occasions through budget exercises, looked at the consumption of our resources, whether it be heating oil, electrical, water and sewer; we’ve looked at those in areas and targeted areas we think we could have some savings in. The Department of Resources, Wildlife and Economic Development has done some work in the past. The Housing Corporation has done some work in the past in trying to save the precious resources we have out there. As the Government of the Northwest Territories, we do have a number of other things that we do to try to mitigate the costs to individuals in the Northwest Territories; through our Territorial Power Support Program or subsidy programs that we have in place for seniors, for example, on fuel. So we do a number of other things, as well. We’ve done some things during normal budget exercises and we’re hoping that departments, through those exercises, are looking at those on an annual basis. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Roland. Supplementary, Mr. Hawkins.

Supplementary To Question 327-15(3): Monitoring Energy Consumption

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I thank the Minister for his overview of an annual basis but, Mr. Speaker, I’m referring to the crisis of oil prices. We need an action plan, a new policy, that looks at everything from idling our cars and trucks, our buildings, by turning our lights off, by turning our fuel heat registers down a little bit. We’d be foolish to think that there wouldn’t be a rider on this year’s power bill due to the oil prices. What is the Minister doing to avert this potential crisis that we’ll be seeing in endless amounts of supplementary appropriation bills or special warrants to deal with this crisis? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. Mr. Roland.

Further Return To Question 327-15(3): Monitoring Energy Consumption

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, on an annual basis, we work with the departments to try to come up with their costs they will need to run the programs and services identified for that year. One of the things we do, again, is we do our work and look at the existing costs of services out there. The Member is right, though; we will be having to look at and address the issue of the increased price of fuel. That is something we have directed the departments to live within their means at this point because we knew that the prices were changing quite substantially; either on the high side or dropping. We’re going to have to wait for actual costs to come back and address them at that point. We haven’t tried to do things in the sense of providing departments with funding up front on an estimate basis, because the prices were fluctuating too much when we put our plans together. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Roland. Supplementary, Mr. Hawkins.

Supplementary To Question 327-15(3): Monitoring Energy Consumption

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the Minister knows I have a lot of respect for him but, Mr. Speaker, I think we’re losing the point and losing sight of this issue. When he talks about annual basis, we didn’t foresee this in March of this year. We didn’t foresee this when the business plans were being built a year ago that oil prices would practically double, Mr. Speaker. I need to hear that we’re doing this on a proactive rather reactive basis, Mr. Speaker. I need a commitment that this Minister will take a proactive position rather than paying the bills long after the energy has been spent. Can the Minister commit to that proactive approach? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. Mr. Roland.

Further Return To Question 327-15(3): Monitoring Energy Consumption

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as I started out in response to the Member, the Government of the Northwest Territories has, on an annual basis, as well as targeted for future cost initiatives, looked at the way we do business, looked at what type of fixtures we use in our offices, lighting fixtures, for example, as well as looked at vehicle operations, and looked at the appliances that were being put into the Housing Corporation units to ensure that they were cost effective and knew that we would see a savings. So we have done a lot of those things on a daily basis, in a sense, to try to mitigate the cost of power and fuel in the Northwest Territories. It is difficult on a budget planning exercise on an annual basis to try to build something in there for an anticipated price. I know departments have raised the issue already that we’re going to be looking at increased costs that were not committed for at the time. There is difficulty there. We will, on an ongoing basis, continue to work around lowering the costs of government in whatever way it may be. One of those areas would be the cost of utilities in the Northwest Territories. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Roland. Your final supplementary, Mr. Hawkins.

Supplementary To Question 327-15(3): Monitoring Energy Consumption

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the Minister talking about an annual basis, a global basis, but, Mr. Speaker, this crisis wasn’t here a year ago. This is why I’m stressing that we need action today to avert the crisis of the spending we’re going to need to do and make up and borrow in the new year. Mr. Speaker, bills are doubling, oil and fuel bills are doubling. Mr. Speaker, I need some type of commitment that we will do this up front before we get the bills. We’ll turn down those lights. The Legislative Assembly glows all night long. Let’s turn those lights down. This affects every school. This affects every power plant. This affects everything that we do. Mr. Speaker, can I get some type of commitment that we’re going to start dealing with this up front, now. We can do it now before these oil bills come in. We can do it now before these power bills come in. Let’s be proactive, Mr. Speaker. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. Mr. Roland.

Further Return To Question 327-15(3): Monitoring Energy Consumption

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I guess we can send a directive out that all light bulbs will be no brighter than 40 watts, but we are doing our work on a daily basis and trying to address the very issues the Member has raised. The problem is that we cannot build into a budget exercise anticipated costs where we might see some of those double. But on the ongoing basis of daily program services, how long a vehicle idles for, what type of fixtures we use in buildings, hours of operation, we’ve done those things. Departments have put those things in place. When we set targets for departments, hopefully they’re looking at those things before they decide to cut a program dollar and they’re looking at how they operate on a daily basis.

We have a number of programs, as well, as a government trying to assist residents across the North. RWED has a program around the environmental protection services where they do have an Energy Conservation Program. We’re trying to reach out in ways of that nature to try to help individuals across the North with the increasing prices. We realize that there are going to be some impacts and we’re doing what we can to try to mitigate those as we’re going forward. But we are going to be hit by them because of our process of planning. Thank you.