Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions are for the Minister responsible for NTPC. Yesterday, my colleague questioned the Minister regarding the board. The Minister stated that DMs are not DMs when they are sitting on this board, but then he stated that Deputy Ministers are using their skill sets to run it. This is in Hansard. So how can we ensure that the DMs who are not DMs are impartial when making decisions that are made when it is involving their departments? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes. Minister responsible for the Northwest Territories Power Corporation.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and I apologize. They are not DMs, but the skill sets that they have are actually helping the board run. Right now, we are filling them in that position until we get the governance model moving forward. We have asked them to come up with a governance model, and we are utilizing their skill sets to do this job. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
The NWT needs to trust this government, as my other colleague has said today. I know that the Minister has asked the chair and the board to come up with a governance model and options, but these are the DMs, not the DMs on this board. Can the Minister have this board made up of regional reps sooner than later?
I want to do it right. I have given them clear directions. I have asked them to come up with a model that works for the North. Is it a model of public interest groups and individuals across the territories to do it? Is it a combination of utilizing government and non-government people? I have given them three or four options to look at so that they can come to us with a better option to run that corporation.
Right now, I am going to stick to what I have asked them to do, and I am willing to work with committee once we get this information. I have to work with my colleagues, and then I have to work with you guys to come up with this. It is about doing what is right, and it is great to say, "Yes, I'll make a decision now." You can't do that. This is why sometimes we in government get ourselves into difficult situations.
Unfortunately, no. I have given them some clear direction to give us some parameters, some options, and they are working on it.
The impartial part: how can we ensure that decisions by this board, and they represent different departments, that we know that they are being impartial?
Good question. I trust that they are going to do this. I know that I will be having a meeting with the board when I can fit it into our schedule. They have made a commitment. They have made an oath. They have signed a document saying that they are going to be impartial. They are looking out for what is best for the Northwest Territories. That is what they are there for. We have looked at their skill sets, and that is how we got them in place right now. I am going to trust them moving forward, unless they break that trust, and then, as the Minister, we make some quick decisions after that.
