Nellie Cournoyea Nunakput

Madam Speaker, in relation to low-water surcharges, this is not a phenomenon to the Northwest Territories alone. This happens all across Canada in other hydro areas when they find themselves in a situation where the water is just not there to generate the necessary power on a continuous basis. It's a normal procedure for the utility to put an application towards the regulator, which is the Public Utilities Board in this instance. Thank you.

The Speaker Jeannie Marie-Jewell

Supplementary, Mr. Ballantyne.

Michael Ballantyne Yellowknife North

Thank you again. Because the Power Corporation is 100 per cent owned by the GNWT and is obviously subject to GNWT policies and procedures, is it government policy that communities pay for unexpected costs due to weather conditions? For example, are communities going to have to pay a high temperature surcharge for forest fire fighting around their communities?

The Speaker Jeannie Marie-Jewell

Madam Premier.

Nellie Cournoyea Nunakput

Madam Speaker, I don't think the Public Utilities Board is in the business to determine the cost of the forest fires. I believe the forest fire high cost is being charged to this government which is an unanticipated $20 million. Thank you.

The Speaker Jeannie Marie-Jewell

Thank you. Final supplementary, Mr. Ballantyne.

Michael Ballantyne Yellowknife North

Yes, I think the Minister has made my point. If the government is picking up the unexpected cost of forest fire fighting because of such an act of God, I guess my question to the Premier is why should communities pay a low-water surcharge for power when it's 100 per cent owned by the government. And if the Power Corporation didn't budget for that, as the Department of Renewable Resources didn't budget for a high temperature summer, why should the consumers have to pay the price? Thank you, Madam Speaker.

The Speaker Jeannie Marie-Jewell

Thank you. Madam Premier.

Nellie Cournoyea Nunakput

Madam Speaker, the Northwest Territories Power Corporation was set up to run as an independent arm's length utility company and that is presently the way it operates. If there are certain areas which are determined under the Public Utilities Act which also includes the unexpected issue on hydro areas on low-water surcharges, that is the role of the Public Utilities Board to hear the request for a charge on the matter of the low water. So that is the mandate of the Public Utilities Board. It's a mandate of the Power Corporation to put those requests forward to that body. Thank you.

The Speaker Jeannie Marie-Jewell

Thank you. Item 6, oral questions. The honourable Member for Iqaluit, Mr. Patterson.

Dennis Patterson Iqaluit

Thank you, Madam Speaker. My question is to the Premier. Madam Speaker, over a year ago, last June 1993, I wrote to the Premier complaining about advertising not tendered, in this case, a 16-page advertising spread masked as an editorial copy in a magazine which caters to an English-speaking elite. That one was paid for by the Department of Education for some $37,000. I told the Premier that the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs had purchased a similar "advertorial" last year and I warned that I had heard another government department was being wooed for a summer edition. And we saw the results, including a beautiful picture of the Minister of the Housing Corporation in this House, last week.

In my letter, Madam Speaker, I asked the Premier some questions and asked her to give the matter her immediate attention. I also copied one to Mr. Alvarez, her deputy minister. I'd like to ask the Premier, since I didn't get a reply to that letter, which was a sincere attempt to encourage the government to get better value for its advertising dollars, what action was taken following that letter of June 7, 1993? Thank you.

The Speaker Jeannie Marie-Jewell

Thank you. Madam Premier.

Nellie Cournoyea Nunakput

Madam Speaker, I can provide the written copy of a letter that was written in reply to his letter some 30 days later, or a little before that which he might have lost. Thank you.

The Speaker Jeannie Marie-Jewell

Thank you. Supplementary, Mr. Patterson.