Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Keeping on the same theme, I guess, it is so important that we leave no stone unturned when it comes to looking at power rates in the Northwest Territories and the future of those rates. I wanted to maybe shift gears a little bit and ask the Premier some questions as it relates to discussions with ATCO. I am of the understanding that while the Premier and the Finance Minister were in Copenhagen, some discussions took place with Nancy Southern of ATCO. They were lengthy discussions. I am sure they weren’t just talking about the weather, Mr. Speaker. I want to ask the Premier what was the nature of the discussions that he and Mr. Miltenberger had with Nancy Southern. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. The honourable Premier, Mr. Roland.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The discussions with the representative of ATCO were ones around what we might be able to do when it comes to projects, specific initiatives in trying to move further along our interest as a government in expanding and delivering on increased hydro across the Northwest Territories. Minister Miltenberger did give an opportunity as to that discussion that happened at that time. We also did discuss the event of Copenhagen and climate change as well. Thank you.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to ask the Premier if the Government of the Northwest Territories, the NWT Power Corporation or anybody associated with Cabinet is currently working on any partnerships with ATCO NUL or ATCO Electric. Thank you.
Mr. Speaker, of course everyone is familiar with the ATCO proposal that we received that we have had some very high level permanent discussions to see if, in fact, it was a starting position or not. That is the one that is sitting there right now. There hasn’t been a whole lot of work done on that piece. The last set of discussions Mr. Miltenberger was involved with was around the interest that a potential partner might have in expanding our hydro system here in the Northwest Territories. There have not been active discussions on the actual partnership. There have been discussions about what it would take to get into a serious discussion. Thank you.
Mr. Speaker, I guess one of the fears I have is the government will get so far into negotiations and discussing partnership opportunities or arrangements with any company. I just want some assurances that before any decision is made on a partnership or venturing too far down that road, Cabinet and the Premier will come back to the Legislative Assembly and we can at least have a good debate and discussion on the merits of any such partnerships.
Mr. Speaker, I would be the first to say, again, no stone should be left unturned. We need to be looking at everything. We need to put everything on the table, Mr. Speaker. We also need to get to work on the unsolicited proposal, that we received from ATCO, fully vetted and out there. I think it is all potentially part of a solution here in the Northwest Territories for the high power rates that we are paying. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, if we go back to that day of a fall session well over a year ago when I believe it was a theme day on the cost of energy in the Northwest Territories, there were statements and questions about the cost, delivery, structure and privatization. Talks came out or reported that that could be an initiative. From those talks, we started to look at a number of initiatives. Those are all before Members. We brought back to the table around that and that is the energy rate regulation review piece. We went to committee. We are working with committee on that response; the Power Corporation review itself around the committee and we will sit down with committee with that report. I brought forward the ATCO proposal that we received and informed Members and the Territories of that. That is sitting there and I would say very early preliminary discussions.
Yes, Mr. Speaker, we are prepared, once we start moving along, like the energy rates regulation piece, like the Power Corporation piece, and once we start to engage potentially with the ATCO piece on the partnership of delivery in the Northwest Territories, we would also inform Members of that work. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Roland. Final supplementary, Mr. Ramsay.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Again, I just wanted to maybe get some assurances from the Premier that any potential partnership that the Government of the Northwest Territories is looking at entering into will come back to the House and be done through legislation, Mr. Speaker. I just want to get some assurances on that. Thank you.
Mr. Speaker, any changes that we would make would have to include the legislative initiative and changes that we would have to bring forward. That process is well established. We would have to follow through that and go forward. In fact, Mr. Speaker, when the ATCO proposal came out, I was asked by aboriginal leadership, why not aboriginal corporations get involved in this, that day one they showed interest in becoming a partner or parts of the Power Corporation. At that time I said we are not interested in taking parts of the Power Corporation, but we are interested in having discussions around partnership. In fact, I will be following up a letter to regional leaders. Again, it came up in November. I will follow up with them to see if they are serious about bringing in a proposal. We are ready to accept one. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Roland. The honourable Member for Sahtu, Mr. Yakeleya.
