Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Last week I spoke about the concerns that fuel prices are driving up the cost of living in the small and remote communities. The NWT Energy Plan suggests all kinds of ways to reduce fuel use over the long term, but people need immediate relief. Eliminating goods and services tax on gasoline and home heating fuel is a simple way to bring down the price of fuel in small communities to more affordable levels right away. The GNWT helps stabilize the cost of fuel when it purchases fuel in bulk to ship to remote communities that are not on the road system, but people pay for this fuel at a fixed price and that price is never going down. In fact, this year the price has increased about 20 cents per litre over the price of last year. It’s going to force seniors and low-income earners into desperate situations. It makes even average wage earners rethink their choice to live and work in remote communities in the Northwest Territories. Our small communities need more people, not less.
People will no longer be able to afford to live there. Cost to government will only increase, putting even more pressure on our programs, plans and services. We must take action to reduce costs immediately. I urge the GNWT to negotiate with the federal government to eliminate GST and bulk fuel purchase for small communities, much like the break small communities were getting when we had the food program.
We must reduce energy costs. That should be the main priority for the remainder of this Assembly and set a clear direction into the next. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. The Member for Frame Lake, Ms. Bisaro.
