Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to do some follow-up with the Minister responsible for the Northwest Territories Power Corporation. I had a line of questioning yesterday, and I ended it with asking the Minister if he would commit the Power Corporation to meeting with the appropriate committee to report on the annual capital acquisition plan and main estimates. I recall the Minister closing with comments that said something to the effect that he would be happy to meet with committee. So, for clarification, I would just like to know: is the Minister prepared to have the Power Corporation present its capital acquisition plan with substantiations as well as main estimates, in the fall, to Members or to the appropriate committee? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Minister responsible for the Northwest Territories Power Corporation.
As indicated in my answer yesterday, Mr. Speaker, we are always prepared to appear before standing committee. However, the Power Corporation is a little different than the rest of the government in that we appear in front of the Public Utilities Board for discussions about our budgeting and ongoing requests for rates, so I think it would be duplicitous and probably a waste of time to go through that sort of exhaustive exercise also before committee.
I can guarantee the Minister that it is not ever going to be a waste of time. The ratepayers of the Northwest Territories, who contribute to the Power Corporation millions of dollars a year, want and deserve another level of accountability. Every other department of this government, they present their annual business case for the year, both for operating and maintenance as well as capital, with substantiations, to the people right here in this House, and so that is what I am asking the Minister to commit to. I mean, unless he is trying to tell me that the Public Utilities Board is who I have to start asking for those answers. Is that the case? I would like to ask the Minister that. Is it the Public Utilities Board that has to come under questioning with regard to the O and M and capital business of the Power Corporation?
We would be prepared to appear in front of committee to discuss in a general sense our ongoing plans for the Power Corporation. However, again, the whole point of the Public Utilities Board is to deal with these very complex issues and to set rates. I am wondering if the Member opposite is suggesting that we could do without the Public Utilities Board. I would be interested in that conversation.
There is a line of jokes that I could go down with that point, but I will not go there. This is a serious matter. What I am talking about here is accountability and transparency, which happens to also be the Minister responsible for Public Engagement and Transparency. I mean, we are talking about a lot of money. This is an item that affects us all. It affects individuals, businesses, homeowners, and they do not seem to have any clear answer of what goes on with this power corporation. I appreciate that the Minister keeps saying he can --
Member for Yellowknife North, what is your line of questioning?
We want to see the Power Corporation come in with the Minister and witnesses and be able to defend their annual case, and it seems like he is not going to be able to do that. Is the Public Utilities Board the one that has to now come here and speak on behalf of the Power Corporation for their capital planning and their operating and maintenance costs every year?
The Public Utilities Board has an exhaustive process which I understand costs the Power Corporation approximately $2 million each time there is a GRA application. I do not think there is any point, frankly, in duplicating that sort of detail of information before a standing committee. As I said, we are prepared to appear before committee and, in a general sense, go through the details of our plans for the future, but to go through the sort of detail that the Member opposite seems to be alluding to, well, I suggest that is properly before the PUB.
Masi. Oral questions. Member for Yellowknife North.
Mr. Speaker, does the Public Utilities Board answer questions with regard to the expenditures on generators that are to replace old infrastructure at the Power Corporation? Because, if the answer is yes, then that is who I will start to go to to ask those questions and not the Power Corporation. He knows where I am going with this. It is not about rate increases. It is also the numerous other questions that the public deserves answers on, and they have to sit before us, the public representatives, and answer those questions. No further questions, Mr. Speaker. Thank you. I am not getting where we need to go.
