Richard Edjericon

Thank you, Madam Chair. Yeah, I don't have much question too for the Minister. I mean, other than that actually, it's actually great working with the Minister and your office and your staff as well. The only one that keeps coming up is that is the fuel subsidy in my riding. And I went through your policies really quick. I understand the zones and one, two, and three, and the levels, etcetera. The only thing that sometimes I get calls on is that sometimes the subsidy doesn't go far enough in terms of going over the amount or whatever it may be coming towards the end of the year. So I'm...

Thank you, Madam Chairman. And I just want to thank the Minister and your colleagues for being here and to give us an update on your budget and everything else.

So I don't really have a question to the budget. But I have a couple I want to frame this this way here. When I go through your budget though, I'm just trying to understand what's what you guys are really doing as Justice overall. But what came to mind as I was going through this document is that, you know, I guess when I think about residential school and federal day school, all the trauma that's been happening to of the people here...

Okay, thank you, Mr. Speaker. Unfunded infrastructure projects, mega projects, that are decades away from completions are not a solution. Northerners can count on what short and mediumterm solution is the Minister working on to provide our residents with relief from high rates of power and to also meet the mandate of this government that they put out in 20192023? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Just picking up on where the Minister left off there; my question is a twopart question: Is the power rate going to go up now when you bring back an application to the utility board; are we looking at another power increase? At the same time, Mr. Speaker, the Minister made the announcement to raise the power rates only after the 20222023 budget was passed last year, without the opportunity for debate in the House. I'm asking the Minister to commit to more transparency around rate increases and commitments to consult with Regular MLAs before giving direction to the power...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise today to address a passionate issue that concerns us all. Our government has recently intended to raise the power rates to an unacceptable high level, placing undue burden on our hardworking families and businesses. However, I am pleased to inform you that this proposal has been stopped in its tracks by the public utilities board.

Mr. Speaker, before the Minister cries foul that it was the power corporation that pushed for this rate increase, this is arm's length from the Crown corporation. I will remind this House that the board of the power corporation is 100...

Thank you, Madam Chair. And thank you, Minister. And, yeah, because, I mean, I've been thinking about this for a long time, even as a former chief and a leader in our community, and I keep thinking, you know, this is a big issue. It's a huge undertaking. And I'm thinking that maybe somehow we can't do it alone but at the same time I think the Premier is here, and I think she hears me what I'm saying, and it's something that we may have to take a look at because it's a big issue that we all have to work together on and we can't solely just put everything on your department. But I think there's...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Committee's primary work for this review was to compare the GNWT's approach with the federal backstop. This work was challenging due to a lack of information from the department and overall uncertainty about what the federal system would look like if Bill 60 fails.

Committee asked the department why the GNWT's approach is better than the federal

system. The department provided three main reasons:

Greater freedom to design the carbon rebate system;

Flexibility to adjust how the tax is applied; and

More certainty for new mines, small mines, and mines that are shutting down.

Co...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. So I take it that the power rates is going to be going up. So if that's the case, Mr. Speaker, then why do we have retreats? Why do we go to these things and bring our voices to the table when we're not consulted? You know, we got over 9,000 customers here in the Northwest Territories and, you know, we want to raise powers rates? Maybe it's time to review the power corporation and maybe quit giving out these bonuses.

Mr. Speaker, the high cost of power is breaking the backs of residents, small businesses, and big industry in the Northwest Territories. How does the...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wasn't around in 2019 when the MLAs got together and they went to a retreat and they put in all their wish list into a bucket, and then they came up with 24 recommendations. But part of those recommendations was very clear, that there will be no power increase. In the Northwest Territories, we got the highest power rates in Canada, next to Nunavut, Saskatchewan, and so on. And right now, in last year, just after the budget was ended, this government made an announcement to increase the power rates by 20 percent over a twoyear period.

Mr. Speaker, now that the public...

Madam Chair, I note that she touched on the Minerals Act. Right now it's also under review to my understanding. But it's also a concern that was also brought to my attention by a member from my community that, you know, there should still be more Aboriginal and Indigenous engagement on this Act, but right now it's what's happening is that they're working behind the scenes it seems like with industry, etcetera. Is it your hope to start working with Indigenous governments and then Denedeh Diamond Corporation, I guess they changed their name now, but in terms of getting some feedback on what...