Thank you, Mr. Nadli. The Minister of Environment and Natural Resources, Mr. Miltenberger.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We routinely monitor moose populations and we look at a general health insect infestation, and the one tick that we were paying close attention to see hopefully that doesn’t migrate north, of course, is a tick that causes lime disease. At this point, we don’t believe that particular black legged tick is in the North.
In terms of other ones, we rely on the moose surveys and feedback from hunters. Thank you.
I’d like to thank the Minister for providing that response. In parts of Manitoba they’ve placed restrictions in terms of harvesting of moose.
What pre-emptive measures will the department take to protect the NWT from future tick infestations? Mahsi.
Our first strategy, of course, would be to identify if there is a particular tick infestation and the magnitude that would warrant such type of intervention as we’ve demonstrated with the barren land caribou. We’ve tracked things very closely and we will intercede when we think it’s warranted. We also have other legislation, the Species at Risk Act, if we think there are challenges in terms of actually affecting their survival of the species. So we’re going to monitor it, but at this point I have seen nothing that would indicate that we have an infestation of that magnitude. Thank you.
The Minister is on record saying that the only real way to get rid of the ticks would be to put a flea collar on the moose.
How would the department identify and treat affected moose that are impacted by ticks? Mahsi.
Mr. Speaker, I’d have to see that quote that has been attributed to me about putting flea collars on moose. I have no recollection of saying something of that nature. However, be that as it may, the concern that the Member raised is, are we going to work together with communities and hunters and the users of the land and ENR to make sure that we keep an eye, and if there is a tick infestation that we identify that. We take the steps necessary to see that we remediate the situation to the best of our abilities. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Final, short supplementary, Mr. Nadli.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Of course, in the southern NWT, the Deh Cho location, we’re situated very close to Alberta and there have been records in terms of deer coming up to the NWT, and cougar sightings as well.
Will the department undertake, perhaps, some work with local harvesters and, at the same time, prepare and maybe work on a moose population survey and whether that’s been planned for sometime this fall? Mahsi.
We are at work with other jurisdictions mapping the spread of the black legged tick that usually inhabits deer as it moves around. At this point we don’t think it has moved north, but yes, we are monitoring that, the same as we were keeping our eye on the pine beetle to see if that was going to come north into the boreal forests north of 60. We will, as well, continue to do rotating moose surveys in various jurisdictions to keep track of the herd numbers and health of the moose. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Member for Hay River North, Mr. Bouchard.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In follow-up to my Member’s statement, I have questions for the Minister of ITI and their current plan of how to revitalize the NWT fishery and maybe the construction of the fish plant in Hay River. I know that they’ve invested in capital money, but I know we’re looking for federal money.
Can I ask the Minister where we currently sit in negotiations with the federal government to invest in the Hay River fishery? Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Bouchard. Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment, Mr. Ramsay.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The federal government has been very good supporters of economic development here through the CanNor office here in Yellowknife and across the North. We continue to discuss, with the federal government, an opportunity to invest in a commercial fishery on Great Slave Lake, and we do need about $5.5 million to put in an export grade fish plant in Hay River. We have earmarked $1.5 million. We’re going to need some partners. We have to continue to put the question on the table to the feds. I had the opportunity last year to meet with Minister Shea in Ottawa. We’ve invited her to the Northwest Territories. We want the federal government and the Ministers to be able to realize what a resource the commercial fishery is in Hay River. Of course, this is an election year, so it’s important that that question about the revitalization of the commercial fishery on Great Slave Lake is front and centre in election campaigns this fall. Thank you.
The Minister indicated he had a meeting previously with the federal Minister.
Can the Minister indicate to me when the next planned meeting or FPT on this type of situation would be coming up? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I will be back in Ottawa next week, and of course this is an issue that is important to the Member, it’s important for our territory. We have to continue to focus our efforts on the revitalization of this fishery. We are going to try to attract more fishers. We also have a vision for what we want to see with the commercial fishery on Great Slave Lake, and I want to thank the Member and his counterpart, Mrs. Groenewegen, for their help and support in us trying to get where we need to go. Thank you.
In the department’s plan that I heard last week, they talked about the price of fish and trying to bring that up.
Is the Minister aware of what the department is looking to do in increasing the price of the fish for the fishermen in the Northwest Territories? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Our South Slave regional office is currently reviewing our subsidy program. Of course, they are going to continue to engage with the Fishermen’s Federation. Now that we have developed a business plan with the Fishermen’s Federation, we will have to bring that plan and the fishery into the 21st century by dramatically changing all the fundamentals that have been in place for well over four decades. This plan proposes new ownership, new responsibilities, new markets, a new commitment and, finally, the plan will bring along a new, long overdue vision, as I mentioned earlier, that will support the fishery for the years ahead of us. I want to thank the Member for his questions.
Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. Final, short supplementary, Mr. Bouchard.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’m sure the Minister has been briefed about the meeting. At that meeting the fishers asked for the subsidy. The department indicated the price is going to go up. The current fishers are asking for that price to be actually subsidized to that level right now so they can see how the industry will react to that type of price currently.
Is the Minister willing to commit to looking at that type of subsidy to increase the price for fishers on the Great Slave Lake? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
As I mentioned earlier, we are currently engaged with the Fishermen’s Federation. We are reviewing the subsidy program that we have in place. This really is, or would be, a short-term or band-aid solution. The real effort has to be into the long-term vision of the fishery on Great Slave Lake. But if there is a way we can continue to work with the Fishermen’s Federation in Hay River and the subsidy program, we want to ensure we are providing the supports we need to ensure we can get where we need to go, and that is have a vibrant commercial fishery industry on Great Slave Lake. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. Member for Range Lake, Mr. Dolynny.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In this House on May 28, 2015, Minister Miltenberger explained to us that we had a clear example of why NTPC should be bidding in an open, transparent and fair RFP Hay River process. He further explained that Fort Smith and Fort Resolution are paying 21 cents per kilowatt hour compared to 31 cents for the town of Hay River. Now Public Utilities Board, PUB, documents confirm this and indicate Hay River has been overcharged by 30 percent for its power by NTPC for a very long time.
Can the Minister responsible for NTPC please explain why his riding is charged less for power by NTPC? Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Dolynny. Minister responsible for the Power Corporation, Mr. Miltenberger.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As I stand here dressed in purple with my nice flower on and it’s a special day for seniors, I was expecting a few softballs from the Member, but apparently no consideration will be given to the fact that I’m a poor senior too.
With regard to his question, the rates are set by the PUB. Thank you.
Okay. Well, we’ll try to be a little gentler. To the even bigger question, why has NTPC been overcharging Hay River for years? Many are asking, “Why didn’t this government collaborate with stakeholders to create an affordable level playing field in the South Slave?” So again, why would this government, this Minister, secretly support a 30 percent surcharge for Hay River residents? Can the Minister please explain that? Thank you.
We weren’t secretly supporting anything. The rates are there. There is a rate rebalancing process underway. It has been set at a 1 percent increase for this year and 3 percent for subsequent years as we move towards rebalancing. Rebalancing a rate structure that we inherited going back to federal times that is well superseded, in many cases, by the requirement for NTPC and the government to put money into things to protect the rates for all power users in the Northwest Territories, regardless of who provides or who distributes the power. I would refer specifically to things like the $37 million or so that we put towards cushioning rates over the last four years so that people across the Northwest Territories wouldn’t be unduly impacted, or the $20 million low water fee that protected all electrical users across the Northwest Territories. Thank you.
I might have to come for that answer in question period one more time.
For now, why is the government, this Minister, through its Crown company, picking and choosing which communities are getting the biggest benefit of NTPC subsidized power? Can the Minister educate us on this optically unfair model? Thank you.
The Member is making assertions that are erroneous. The rates are set by the PUB. There are challenges across the system. We did have a huge rate restructuring in the last government and we continue to work on managing those cost pressures, both in diesel communities as well as in the hydro communities. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Final, short supplementary, Mr. Dolynny.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. So, what we’ve been able to calculate today with my statement and also the statement today by Mr. Bromley is that NTPC has been overcharging Hay River for years. Then, when you have the concept of this new secret Cabinet energy strategy, one must start to pattern this alleged fairness to transparency and openness with public money or the lack thereof.
Can the Minister inform the House if his definition of competitive process complies with this government’s stated philosophy on market disruption affecting the private sector?
The facts, when you take away all the bavardage and bafflegab, is that there is a 10 cent, 30 percent rate difference between Hay River and Fort Smith and Fort Resolution. The Town of Hay River has made a conscious decision to go out and start a public process to seek providers to distribute power under a franchise agreement. We, the Power Corporation, are going to put a bid in. There is no guarantee that we are going to get it, be successful. Other bidders may be successful, if they choose to bid. That is yet to be seen.
What we do know is there are issues where there are, according to the town’s numbers, about $3 million a year that goes into the coffers of ATCO in Calgary, their downtown Calgary office, profit. Anything NTPC makes stays in the Northwest Territories. So the issue is very basic and clear. There is a 30 percent difference. Hay River wants to lower their cost of living. The Northwest Territories Power Corporation and the Government of the Northwest Territories have that as a priority, as well, across the Northwest Territories. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Mr. Hawkins.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. You’ve certainly made me a happy man today. Let’s see if we can get some happy answers. We’ve been hearing a fair bit, and I wasn’t going to ask a question on this area, but I have to admit that I did hear a colleague on my right, Mr. Dolynny, ask questions about the Power Corporation and the bigger scheme of things. Although we don’t share perspectives, we share the perspective of the public information and what’s good for the public.
That said, there has been a campaign, in my words, of entitlement in the newspaper from a billion dollar industry that has been, in my opinion, a situation where Northerners need another option. We all know the cost of living. Part of their campaign, in my view, is they have been saying the government has been expropriating or attempting to expropriate their assets. I don’t share that perspective and I think there are mechanisms in place, actually, if it so happens that they don’t win the franchise agreement with the Town of Hay River.
Could the Minister responsible for the NWT Power Corporation explain and illustrate the process if the case happens to be that ATCO doesn’t win the franchise agreement? How do they proceed in changing agreements? I thought there was an act that spelled it out in negotiation. I will leave it to the Minister to clarify for the public record, because I have great concern of the word “expropriation” used repeatedly in the public.
Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. Minister responsible for the Power Corporation, Mr. Miltenberger.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Regardless of who the successful proponent is or bidder is for the franchise agreement, if it’s not ATCO, then there would be a business negotiation that would hopefully take place in terms of the transfer and selling of the assets, recognizing their assessed value, negotiating whatever other premiums and issues might be dealt with. Failing that, there’s an Arbitration Act, I understand, that would kick in if they reach a stalemate and there’s a need to resolve this issue where there would be binding arbitration.
I appreciate you allowing me to sort of describe it at the beginning with great detail, because I think it’s important.
Would ATCO have had to sign their franchise agreement recognizing in some form or fashion this arbitration process?
I understand that fact is a standard reference in all franchise agreements.
I’m going to ask the Minister this question. I’m not sure it’s the best question, per se, in the sense of it’s under his portfolio or his purview, but he’s certainly a wordsmith.
Is arbitration the same as expropriation in his position or his capacity? Could he best describe it for the House?
No, they are not the same.
Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Thank you, Members. The time for question period has expired. Item 8, written questions. Item 9, returns to written questions. Item 10, replies to opening address. Item 11, petitions. Item 12, reports of standing and special committees. Item 13, reports of committees on the review of bills. Mr. Dolynny.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wish to report to the Assembly that the Standing Committee on Government Operations has reviewed Bill 37, Financial Administration Act, and wishes to report that Bill 37 as amended and reprinted is ready for consideration in Committee of the Whole. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Dolynny. Bill 37 as amended and reprinted is ready for consideration in Committee of the Whole. Mr. Dolynny.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I seek unanimous consent to waive Rule 75(5) to have Bill 37, Financial Administration Act, moved into Committee of the Whole for consideration later today.
---Unanimous consent granted
Mr. Dolynny.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I seek unanimous consent to return to Item 12 on the Order Paper, reports of standing and special committees.
---Unanimous consent granted
