Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions are for Premier McLeod, following up on my statement from earlier today on related issues.
Recently, Cabinet announced that rather than pass on the true cost of power generated by diesel due to the hydro shortfall we are experiencing because of climate-change- induced drought in our hydro-generating system, the government would provide a direct subsidy yet again, this time to the tune of $20 million.
Public Works, of course, is replete with hundreds of examples of reducing energy costs through infrastructure with short payback periods.
Is there an equal commitment of $20 million this government is making to provide energy infrastructure identified through rigorous evaluations to provide cheaper power? Mahsi.
Thank you, Mr. Bromley. The honourable Premier, Mr. McLeod.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. When we explained the rationale behind the $20 million it was so our clients and every community in the Northwest Territories wouldn’t have to pay an extra 13.7 percent increase in power for two years.
At the same time, we announced that we are holding an Energy Charrette on November 3rd and 4th. We’re committed to investing millions of dollars so that we can look at alternative and renewable forms of energy and any ways that we can empower the clientele that use energy in the North so that they can find cheaper ways to generate power. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I appreciate the Premier’s explanation of their thinking as far as they got.
Regular Members of this House, of course, were caught by surprise by the announcement of this Cabinet largesse, learning about it the way most citizens of the NWT did: through the media.
Were any members of responsible committees meaningfully consulted or consulted at all on this latest $20 million subsidy Cabinet has come up with?
We have a protocol that we developed amongst all of us in this Legislative Assembly and we conformed to the protocol measures. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Indeed we have, Mr. Speaker. We in this House all swore an oath to uphold the 10 principles of consensus government. Principle number five states, “Except under extraordinary circumstances, Members of the Legislative Assembly should be made aware of and have an opportunity to discuss significant announcements, changes, consultations or initiatives before they are released to the public or introduced in the Legislative Assembly. Use of the element of surprise is inconsistent with consensus government.”
Is Cabinet aware of this guiding principle? Mahsi.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We’re well aware of it and we gave the Members notice. We told them that we would be coming forward with some initiative in this area, and I believe we told them at least a week ahead of time. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Final, short supplementary, Mr. Bromley.
I would ask the Premier to reread that principle for himself in some nice quiet time when he can fully comprehend it. Being constantly aware of the principles that we all swore an oath to and honouring the spirit of those principles – just to be sure the Premier heard the spirit of those principles – require the commitment of all Members of this House, the commitment of all Members of this House.
Is the government committed to conducting the business of this House in the spirit of the 10 guiding principles of consensus government? Mahsi.
The Member seems to be opposed to the fact that we assisted all of the clientele that use energy to the tune of $20 million and we’re hearing people are leaving the North because of that, and I’m very prepared to adhere to the principles and I gather that the Member is as well. So, thank you.
Thank you, Mr. McLeod. The Member for Inuvik Boot Lake, Mr. Moses.
