Mahsi cho, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to ask the Minister Responsible for the NWT Power Corporation with reference to my Member’s statement. We’re struggling with electrical costs all through the Northwest Territories. In my Member’s statement I referenced that three of our larger non-hydro communities are looking for some alternative ways of providing power at a cheaper rate. In fact, I believe all communities should have the right and access to cheaper power rates through a one-rate power zone. I’d like to know how much work the ministry’s office has done in light of the many motions we have passed on this side of the House in moving toward a one-rate zone or levelized rate system.
Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. The honourable Minister Responsible for the NWT Power Corporation, Mr. Yakeleya.
Mr. Speaker, I, too, was at the NWT annual meeting with the municipalities in Fort Simpson. I certainly heard several mayors — specifically the mayors from Norman Wells and Inuvik — talking about the one-rate zone issue.
We have a committee that’s being led by Mr. Bob McLeod in terms of the Ministers’ Energy Coordinating Committee. We’re looking at the motion that was put forward by this Assembly to look at the rate structure and the regulations. We’re looking at options and discussing with committee members what we can do to come to something that is satisfactory to people right across the Northwest Territories.
I’ve also noted in the past that the Public Utilities Board has looked at the one-rate zone system on several occasions. They certainly have information we can use in our discussions in looking at alternatives to bring down the rates for all people in the Northwest Territories that would be satisfactory to all Member in this House.
Once again I’d like to reiterate to the Minister that it’s a cry from our whole territory, as well as a request from this side of the House, that the ministry and the government look at a one-rate system or a levelized rate system. I’ll just ask again: what kind of work will this government be doing to work toward that?
I will also let the Member know that I also come from a community that has high power rates, high energy issues. In terms of our communities, certainly the energy committee will be looking at the merits of a one-rate zone. We’ll be having discussions with Members from the House to look at the best options and what avenues we have available for us to implement whatever recommendation we agree would see a rate zone stabilized or a rate zone that would be satisfactory to the people in our communities.
I’ll ask it a different way. The Minister Responsible for the NWT Power Corporation has been instructed by this side of the House, by several motions, to look at moving toward a one-rate zone or levelized rate zone. I’d like to ask: what work has been done to work toward this, to develop a proposal, to look at the different ways of providing that type of service?
Certainly, we have our marching orders from the motion that was passed in this House in terms of looking at the issue the Member’s talking about.
We have worked with the lead Minister, Hon. Bob McLeod, in terms of heading up the Ministers’ Energy Coordinating Committee. We have set down some terms of reference as to how we’re going to carry out our work. We have looked at this with our own Crown corporations in terms of our capital costs and how NWTPC does its capital costs. That will help with looking at the rate issue. We certainly are on our way. We’ll be eagerly waiting to sit with the Members to start looking at the process for, once and for all, making some announcements in terms of how we go about reducing our costs in the North.
That’s exactly the point. We are looking toward how we are going to implement a one-rate or levelized zone. It doesn’t mean the government has to do it, but the government should take a good, serious, hard look at it. I believe you do that by developing proposals and bird’s-eye view outlines of it. I’d like to know when this government will start that.
Mr. Speaker, the understanding from the lead Minister, the Hon. Bob McLeod.... The Ministers’ Energy Coordinating Committee will start as soon as possible. We do have the terms of reference and are ready to go to work. As soon as we are done here, we are ready to go to work taking action on the motion that was passed in terms of looking at the restructuring in the Northwest Territories.
Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. The honourable Member for Mackenzie Delta, Mr. Krutko.
