Thank you, Madam Chair. The western members of the Standing Committee on Government Operations reviewed Bill 6, an Act to Amend the Public Utilities Act, on March 19, 1999. Bill 6 is necessary to establish a joint division of the NWT and Nunavut Public Utilities Boards to deal with regulatory issues on a shared utility. The bill establishes that a decision of joint division has the effect of being a decision of Nunavut and the Northwest Territories Public Utilities Boards.

The passage of this legislation is the culmination of a year and a half of intense negotiations on the part of the Government of the Northwest Territories, the Office of the Interim Commissioner, Nunavut Tunngavik Incorporated and the Western Coalition on the future of the Northwest Territories Power Corporation. Bill 6, an Act to Amend the Public Utilities Act, is enabling legislation that allows for the regulation of the power corporation during the term of the Transition Agreement negotiated by the aforementioned parties.

Madam Chair, the standing committee had no difficulty with Bill 6, an Act to Amend the Public Utilities Act. The bill is needed to provide for joint regulation of the Northwest Territories Power Corporation after division. Committee members may have questions or comments on the bill as we proceed. Thank you, Madam Chair.