This is page numbers 211 - 238 of the Hansard for the 12th Assembly, 6th Session. The original version can be accessed on the Legislative Assembly's website or by contacting the Legislative Assembly Library. The word of the day was information.

The Speaker Jeannie Marie-Jewell

Mr. Patterson, I'd like to ask if you could rephrase your question. You're asking a somewhat hypothetical question based on the process going through. If I could ask you to somehow rephrase your question, Mr. Patterson.

Dennis Patterson Iqaluit

Yes, I'll try. Thank you. Madam Speaker, I'd like to ask the Premier if the GNWT has studied and calculated the financial impact of proposed new power rates on the amount of subsidy required to be paid by the Government of the Northwest Territories to subsidize domestic power consumers throughout the Northwest Territories.

The Speaker Jeannie Marie-Jewell

Madam Premier.

Return To Question 106-12(6): Financial Impact To GNWT Of Proposed Power Rates
Question 106-12(6): Financial Impact To GNWT Of Proposed Power Rates
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 219

Nellie Cournoyea Nunakput

Madam Speaker, it's difficult to give a short answer to that question because there are certain presumptions that one would have to make. I believe the Power Corporation has looked at the changes and looked at how that could affect their operation.

Madam Speaker, as we are aware, when the Power Corporation turned from a federal to a territorial Crown corporation, we knew that there were 51 rate zones. Each community had an established criteria on their rate. The commitment right from the beginning is that somehow we would have to rationalize what people were paying because, in a lot of communities, it was felt that some communities were less than what the actual costs for that particular community were or that area and some were paying more. As well as the 51 different rate zones for each community, we also have a government rate.

I believe that there have been some numbers that were crunched and I believe as much as possible that the Power Corporation could get from the figures that have been established previously are presently before the Public Utilities Board.

Madam Speaker, there is a long explanation and I realize the rules suggest that if there is a long explanation, that perhaps you would rule me out of order to go into all the detail. Madam Speaker, that's as much as I could provide at this time. Thank you.

Return To Question 106-12(6): Financial Impact To GNWT Of Proposed Power Rates
Question 106-12(6): Financial Impact To GNWT Of Proposed Power Rates
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 219

The Speaker Jeannie Marie-Jewell

Thank you. I just want to caution Members with regard to questioning items that may be placed before the PUB. I just confirmed with the Clerk that the PUB is a quasi-judicial body set up by legislation of this House, and items before any type of court of quasi-judicial body are not to be questioned while the process is in place through question period. So I'd like to caution Members to keep that in mind when they are questioning the government. The honourable Member for Iqaluit, Mr. Patterson.

Supplementary To Question 106-12(6): Financial Impact To GNWT Of Proposed Power Rates
Question 106-12(6): Financial Impact To GNWT Of Proposed Power Rates
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 219

Dennis Patterson Iqaluit

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I'll try to bear that caution in mind. Madam Speaker, I have a simple question for the Premier. Since the government is a major consumer of power and a major customer of the Power Corporation through its agencies and through its own buildings and staff housing, I'd like to ask the Premier will the Government of the Northwest Territories be intervening as a major consumer of power in the Public Utilities Board rate hearings now under way. Thank you.

Supplementary To Question 106-12(6): Financial Impact To GNWT Of Proposed Power Rates
Question 106-12(6): Financial Impact To GNWT Of Proposed Power Rates
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 219

The Speaker Jeannie Marie-Jewell

Thank you. Madam Premier.

Further Return To Question 106-12(6): Financial Impact To GNWT Of Proposed Power Rates
Question 106-12(6): Financial Impact To GNWT Of Proposed Power Rates
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 219

Nellie Cournoyea Nunakput

Madam Speaker, yes.

Further Return To Question 106-12(6): Financial Impact To GNWT Of Proposed Power Rates
Question 106-12(6): Financial Impact To GNWT Of Proposed Power Rates
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 219

The Speaker Jeannie Marie-Jewell

Item 6, oral questions. Supplementary, Mr. Patterson.

Supplementary To Question 106-12(6): Financial Impact To GNWT Of Proposed Power Rates
Question 106-12(6): Financial Impact To GNWT Of Proposed Power Rates
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 219

Dennis Patterson Iqaluit

I'd like to ask the Premier, Madam Speaker, since the government is intervening, which I think it should, and the government is also the owner of the Power Corporation, how can we be sure that the government, when

it intervenes in the PUB hearings, is not in conflict when it intervenes to at the same time protect its own interest as a major power consumer. Thank you.

Supplementary To Question 106-12(6): Financial Impact To GNWT Of Proposed Power Rates
Question 106-12(6): Financial Impact To GNWT Of Proposed Power Rates
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 220

The Speaker Jeannie Marie-Jewell

Thank you. Minister responsible for the Power Corporation, Madam Premier.

Further Return To Question 106-12(6): Financial Impact To GNWT Of Proposed Power Rates
Question 106-12(6): Financial Impact To GNWT Of Proposed Power Rates
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 220

Nellie Cournoyea Nunakput

Madam Speaker, I would just like to inform the honourable Member that on previous hearings the Government of the Northwest Territories was an interested party in those deliberations, so this is not a new role that we play as a government. Thank you.

Further Return To Question 106-12(6): Financial Impact To GNWT Of Proposed Power Rates
Question 106-12(6): Financial Impact To GNWT Of Proposed Power Rates
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 220

The Speaker Jeannie Marie-Jewell

Thank you. Final supplementary, Mr. Patterson.

Supplementary To Question 106-12(6): Financial Impact To GNWT Of Proposed Power Rates
Question 106-12(6): Financial Impact To GNWT Of Proposed Power Rates
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 220

Dennis Patterson Iqaluit

Madam Speaker, I understand that, but I guess what I'm curious about is how, within the government, the public interest is split from the government's interest as the owner of the Power Corporation. For example, is there another government department that is responsible for the interventions other than the Power Corporation? Is there another Minister other than the Premier? How do we ensure the public interest is safeguarded in this process? Thank you.

Supplementary To Question 106-12(6): Financial Impact To GNWT Of Proposed Power Rates
Question 106-12(6): Financial Impact To GNWT Of Proposed Power Rates
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 220

The Speaker Jeannie Marie-Jewell

Thank you. Minister responsible for the Power Corporation, Madam Premier.

Further Return To Question 106-12(6): Financial Impact To GNWT Of Proposed Power Rates
Question 106-12(6): Financial Impact To GNWT Of Proposed Power Rates
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 220

Nellie Cournoyea Nunakput

Madam Speaker, in our discussion on this matter, the Minister who would normally be responsible for this particular exercise would have been the Minister responsible for Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources. However, that Minister, at this time, is also Minister responsible for the Public Utilities Board. In the best interest of carrying out the responsibility in this peculiar situation, the Minister of Finance is taking on the role of overseeing the interest of government in the public hearings that are taking place. Thank you.

Further Return To Question 106-12(6): Financial Impact To GNWT Of Proposed Power Rates
Question 106-12(6): Financial Impact To GNWT Of Proposed Power Rates
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 220

The Speaker Jeannie Marie-Jewell

Thank you. Item 6, oral questions. The honourable Member for Natilikmiot, Mr. Ningark.

Question 107-12(6): Housing Crisis For Teachers In Gjoa Haven
Item 6: Oral Questions

October 11th, 1994

Page 220

John Ningark Natilikmiot

Thank you, Madam Speaker. My question is directed to the Minister responsible for the Department of Public Works and Services. Madam Speaker on June 10, 1994, the Kitikmeot Divisional Board of Education met with the Department of Education's deputy minister and assistant deputy minister to discuss the GNWT housing need in the Kitikmeot region. One of the main concerns at that meeting was without additional housing in Gjoa Haven, there would not be delivery of grade 10 in 1994, 1995 and 1996 in Gjoa Haven. My question to the Minister, Madam Speaker, is the Honourable Minister aware that Gjoa Haven is in such desperate need of housing to house the teaching staff for the year 1995-96. Thank you.

The Speaker Jeannie Marie-Jewell

Thank you. Minister of Housing, Mr. Morin.

Return To Question 107-12(6): Housing Crisis For Teachers In Gjoa Haven
Question 107-12(6): Housing Crisis For Teachers In Gjoa Haven
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 220

Don Morin Tu Nedhe

Thank you, Madam Speaker. The process for obtaining staff housing in the communities is that the Department of Personnel through a request, for example for teachers, the Department of Education will make a request of the Department of Personnel for housing. Once they have found the dollars, then it comes to my department to either lease them or build them. Thank you.

Return To Question 107-12(6): Housing Crisis For Teachers In Gjoa Haven
Question 107-12(6): Housing Crisis For Teachers In Gjoa Haven
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 220

The Speaker Jeannie Marie-Jewell

Thank you. Item 6, oral questions. Supplementary, Mr. Ningark.

Supplementary To Question 107-12(6): Housing Crisis For Teachers In Gjoa Haven
Question 107-12(6): Housing Crisis For Teachers In Gjoa Haven
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 220

John Ningark Natilikmiot

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, I am sure subsequent to the meeting of the department, deputy minister and assistant deputy minister, there was in fact a request made from the Kitikmeot Divisional Board of Education. Is the Minister, in fact, aware of that housing need in Gjoa Haven? Thank you.

Supplementary To Question 107-12(6): Housing Crisis For Teachers In Gjoa Haven
Question 107-12(6): Housing Crisis For Teachers In Gjoa Haven
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 220

The Speaker Jeannie Marie-Jewell

Thank you. Minister of Housing, Mr. Morin.

Further Return To Question 107-12(6): Housing Crisis For Teachers In Gjoa Haven
Question 107-12(6): Housing Crisis For Teachers In Gjoa Haven
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 220

Don Morin Tu Nedhe

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I can't recall being made aware of this specific meeting. Thank you.

Further Return To Question 107-12(6): Housing Crisis For Teachers In Gjoa Haven
Question 107-12(6): Housing Crisis For Teachers In Gjoa Haven
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 220

The Speaker Jeannie Marie-Jewell

Item 6, oral questions. The honourable Member for Yellowknife South, Mr. Whitford.