Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as one of the few communities not seeking the Nunavut capital site, on behalf of Yellowknifers, I say that the long-awaited decision on the low-water surcharge to the North Slave region is certainly welcomed. We are happy that the decisions have been made, although we are not entirely happy with the decision, Mr. Speaker. We had hoped that we would see no rate increase and that the corporation would do the right thing and absorb that cost and probably work out some other form of recovery over a longer period of time.

However, Mr. Speaker, having said that, we are happy that the rate is not going to be 22 per cent, but down to 14 per cent. More importantly, we are very pleased with the fact that there is a very fixed period of time. The PUB were very timely in installing the one-year time period and no longer, in the event that the recovery is better, then the levy will be lifted sooner. We are very pleased with that, Mr. Speaker.

I am disappointed, however, that not enough comments were made on the long-term reserve fund that had been suggested by myself and others. We hope that the corporation will now take a long hard second look at that suggestion and implement an emergency fund for low-fuel or water reserves to avoid this rate shock that we are going to be experiencing in the next little while.

That said, Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity as well to congratulate all of the employees of the Northwest Territories Power Corporation; the mechanics, the power plant operators; and, the line staff who work so hard to keep our lights going through some pretty tough conditions. I think some of the negative comments we make here about the corporation should not reflect on the hard-working staff. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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