Thank you, Madam Premier. Mr. Dent.
Debates of Oct. 31st, 1994
This is page numbers 609 - 640 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 corporation.
Topics
Bill 1: Appropriation Act, No. 1, 1995-96Committee Report 10-12(6): Report On The Review Of The 1995-96 Capital Estimates
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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The Chair John Ningark
Bill 1: Appropriation Act, No. 1, 1995-96Committee Report 10-12(6): Report On The Review Of The 1995-96 Capital Estimates
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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Charles Dent Yellowknife Frame Lake
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. In response to a comment the Premier just made, I was referring, when I made my comments, to current loans. I'm sorry, but I don't understand why, if the government is going to sell something, it would continue to guarantee current loans. Would we do that for any other business in the north? If a private business person wanted to start up a business, this government doesn't guarantee their loans, unless you are getting money through something like the Development Corporation, I suppose. I was under no misapprehension that the proposal was to guarantee future loans. I still think it's wrong to even carry on, under privatization, with personal loans being guaranteed by this government.
In terms of the balanced budget from year to year or getting a rate of return from year to year, I think some of the Premier's comments when she was responding to my comments just now, actually go to support the argument that, because you don't know all of the history and all of what might happen in one year in terms of expenses and revenues, it is very difficult to insist that, on a year-to-year basis, you always have exactly the right rate of return. That's why, sometimes, it might make some sense to average things out over a number of years.
Mr. Chairman, I would also like to respond to the Premier's comments about privatization. It almost sounded as if the campaign was back on for privatization. I would like to point out that all residents of the Northwest Territories own the Northwest Territories Power Corporation. So, when you talk about privatizing it, you are talking about taking something that everybody, whether they have any money right now or not, owns a piece of and benefits from that ownership.
When you take an essential public service like that and put it in private hands, you restrict that ownership and the benefits that come from it. To be honest with you, I see privatization, as it was proposed, as basically giving something away that we all own right now. I'm very happy it is off the table and if the next Legislature wishes to take a look at it, I guess it will be up to the Legislature of that day. I know if I'm here, I certainly will be pushing for it to be delayed until after division because I think it is too important and essential a service for this government not to own it; to ensure it can perform the way it should for all the people in the north. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Bill 1: Appropriation Act, No. 1, 1995-96Committee Report 10-12(6): Report On The Review Of The 1995-96 Capital Estimates
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 636
The Chair John Ningark
Thank you, Mr. Dent. Madam Premier.
Bill 1: Appropriation Act, No. 1, 1995-96Committee Report 10-12(6): Report On The Review Of The 1995-96 Capital Estimates
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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Nellie Cournoyea Nunakput
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I don't want to get into a philosophical debate. I think the only purpose is to at least give all our owners the opportunity to have as much information as possible and to live up to the commitments we made. I believe we have done that, and it will probably be up to a future Legislature to deal with. I'm quite happy to put that in their hands, Mr. Chairman.
Bill 1: Appropriation Act, No. 1, 1995-96Committee Report 10-12(6): Report On The Review Of The 1995-96 Capital Estimates
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 636
The Chair John Ningark
Thank you. Any further general comments? If not, do we agree to the detailed information on the preliminary 1995-96 capital budget of the Northwest Territories Power Corporation? The amount is $224.429 million. Do you agree that this is concluded? Mr. Patterson.
Bill 1: Appropriation Act, No. 1, 1995-96Committee Report 10-12(6): Report On The Review Of The 1995-96 Capital Estimates
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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Dennis Patterson Iqaluit
Just one very quick question, Mr. Chairman. I was intrigued with the reference to wind
generation potential in Cambridge Bay and Iqaluit. I would like to know how far along that work is at this point. Thank you.
Bill 1: Appropriation Act, No. 1, 1995-96Committee Report 10-12(6): Report On The Review Of The 1995-96 Capital Estimates
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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The Chair John Ningark
Mr. Robertson.
Bill 1: Appropriation Act, No. 1, 1995-96Committee Report 10-12(6): Report On The Review Of The 1995-96 Capital Estimates
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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Robertson
As I understand, there is a company by the name of Dutch Industries that is presently installing a group of wind-generating turbines in Iqaluit. The Power Corporation is working with Dutch Industries and has agreed to purchase any power they are able to produce from these generators. At the same time, the Power Corporation is taking a keen interest in the technology that is being employed by this company in Iqaluit.
As the Member is probably well aware, we've tried wind turbines elsewhere in the Arctic and, so far, we've had very mixed results. So, we are watching this experiment in Iqaluit with great interest and, in fact, are helping finance part of it by buying the power from the generation.
Bill 1: Appropriation Act, No. 1, 1995-96Committee Report 10-12(6): Report On The Review Of The 1995-96 Capital Estimates
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 637
The Chair John Ningark
Thank you very much, Mr. Robertson. If there are no further comments, do we agree that the preliminary 1995-96 capital budget is concluded for the Northwest Territories Power Corporation? Mr. Ballantyne.
Bill 1: Appropriation Act, No. 1, 1995-96Committee Report 10-12(6): Report On The Review Of The 1995-96 Capital Estimates
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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Michael Ballantyne Yellowknife North
Just one question in the area of alternate energy. Over the years, we've done a fair amount of work with wind generation. I wonder if the Minister can tell us what has been a success and what really is the long-term potential of this particular source of energy?
Bill 1: Appropriation Act, No. 1, 1995-96Committee Report 10-12(6): Report On The Review Of The 1995-96 Capital Estimates
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 637
The Chair John Ningark
Thank you. Madam Premier.
Bill 1: Appropriation Act, No. 1, 1995-96Committee Report 10-12(6): Report On The Review Of The 1995-96 Capital Estimates
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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Nellie Cournoyea Nunakput
Mr. Chairman, I think that pretty well everyone knows that there hasn't been a great deal of success with the projects that have been put in place. Much of that has been attributed to the extreme cold weather and the high winds. They haven't been able to modify the equipment to deal with those two environmental factors. Up to this point in time, I would say that the experiments that have been in place haven't met with a high degree of success. But, that doesn't mean that the corporation will not continue to look for more effective ways to make it feasible.
Bill 1: Appropriation Act, No. 1, 1995-96Committee Report 10-12(6): Report On The Review Of The 1995-96 Capital Estimates
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 637
The Chair John Ningark
Thank you. Any further general comments? Do we agree, then, that this matter is concluded?
Bill 1: Appropriation Act, No. 1, 1995-96Committee Report 10-12(6): Report On The Review Of The 1995-96 Capital Estimates
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 637
Some Hon. Members
Agreed.
---Agreed
Bill 1: Appropriation Act, No. 1, 1995-96Committee Report 10-12(6): Report On The Review Of The 1995-96 Capital Estimates
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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The Chair John Ningark
Thank you, very much. I would like to thank the Premier, Mr. Courneya and Mr. Robertson for appearing before the committee. Thank you very much.
Do we agree that we deal with Bill 7, An Act to Amend the Arctic College Act?
Bill 1: Appropriation Act, No. 1, 1995-96Committee Report 10-12(6): Report On The Review Of The 1995-96 Capital Estimates
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 637
Some Hon. Members
Agreed.
---Agreed
Bill 7: An Act To Amend The Arctic College Act
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 637
Some Hon. Members
Is Minister Nerysoo prepared to make opening comments on this, and are you prepared to bring in the witnesses?
Bill 7: An Act To Amend The Arctic College Act
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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Richard Nerysoo Mackenzie Delta
I would just like to bring in the witnesses, Mr. Chairman.
Bill 7: An Act To Amend The Arctic College Act
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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The Chair John Ningark
Please bring in the witnesses now.
Thank you. Mr. Minister, for the record, would you please introduce the witness to the committee.
Bill 7: An Act To Amend The Arctic College Act
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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Richard Nerysoo Mackenzie Delta
Thank you. On my left is Ms. Carol Whitehouse, who is legal counsel.
Bill 7: An Act To Amend The Arctic College Act
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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The Chair John Ningark
Thank you. The last time we were dealing with this matter, we were in general comments.
Bill 7: An Act To Amend The Arctic College Act
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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Some Hon. Members
Clause by clause.
Clause By Clause
Bill 7: An Act To Amend The Arctic College Act
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The Chair John Ningark
We will go clause by clause. We are dealing with Bill 7, An Act to Amend the Arctic College Act. Clause 1.
Bill 7: An Act To Amend The Arctic College Act
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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Some Hon. Members
Agreed.
---Agreed
Bill 7: An Act To Amend The Arctic College Act
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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The Chair John Ningark
Thank you. Clause 2.