Mahsi, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, I would like to make a few comments pertaining to the NWT Power Corporation, first of all pertaining to rates. Mr. Chairman, I realize the corporation is doing its utmost to assist consumers with regard to how much they have to pay for their power bills and so forth. I believe with the management team from the Power Corporation and also the Public Utilities Board, I know they are trying to put together the best method of implementing an equitable system of power rates across the territories. I know that's what they're trying to achieve and are still working on. I would encourage them to continue. I understand that there's an interim rates application to cover certain rates right now, but I think the end result would be that the general rate application It's just a method that has to be defined and PUB would have to approve it so that we can go ahead with this rate application. I would strongly encourage the corporation to continue to be equitable, I guess, right across the territories.
With regard to affirmative action, Mr. Chairman, I, too, have some concern with regard to the implementation of affirmative action within the Power Corporation, not only in certain communities but throughout the Power Corporation structure. I think one has to take a stronger step to try to get more aboriginal people into the system, even in the middle management and senior management positions. Currently, I don't see that many aboriginal people per se, in those types of positions. Mr. Chairman, with regard to affirmative action, one of the things that I wanted to compliment the Power Corporation on was for providing a scholarship to the Dogrib region for a student to continue on with their education. I'm very grateful that the Power Corporation has come up with a scholarship for the Dogrib Nation in their dealings with the Dogrib Power Corporation.
Mr. Chairman, another thing I wanted to ask is what would be the possibility of moving the district office from Yellowknife? We have headquarters in Hay River and I know they have an office here. What's the possibility of getting an NWT Power Corporation office in the hub of the North Slave region, for example, Rae-Edzo? I don't think that area has been looked into. I know the Premier would agree with me that I've been pursuing the government to try to move district offices out of Yellowknife right into the regions. I've been saying that about the Housing Corporation, the Economic Development and Tourism district office and now I'm saying it with regard to the NWT Power Corporation. I wonder if the Power Corporation has taken a look at the possibility of getting some sort of office into the North Slave region?
With regard to the Snare Cascades hydro development, Mr. Chairman, I would like to compliment the corporation for the cooperation that they've provided, particularly with the Dogrib Power Corporation to date. I'm quite satisfied with the manner in which the corporation has been working with the Dogrib Power Corporation and the leadership from the Dogrib Nation. Just as a note, as the Premier indicated in her opening remarks, the ground-breaking in late August was an historic event and the project, Mr. Chairman, is on schedule according to the last briefing that I received from my colleagues at the Dogrib Power Corporation. I know that the corporation and the
Dogrib Power Corporation have been constantly meeting together, briefing each other, and trying to iron out all the little wrinkles that they encounter. It's not always easy because there are certain interpretations that different people have pertaining to the agreement that was drafted between the NWT Power Corporation and the Dogrib Power Corporation. Those types of things I know are ongoing, day-to-day stuff, but I know, to date, that things are moving along as scheduled and I'm quite happy with the cooperation that they put into it.