Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, I have a question for the Minister responsible for the Power Corporation. It's regarding the proposed 22 per cent low-water surcharge that the NWT Power Corporation is applying to the Public Utilities Board for.
Madam Speaker, I do understand the Public Utilities Board has the mandate and responsibility to decide power rates, however the Power Corporation is 100 per cent owned by the Government of the Northwest Territories. The government is accountable, in this House, for the Power Corporation and the Minister, under the act, does have the power to issue directors to the corporation. My constituents find the proposed low-water surcharge totally unacceptable. They want some answers.
My first question, Madam Speaker, is when did the government learn that the Power Corporation had underestimated their costs and were forced to go to the PUB for a huge low-water surcharge?