Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, it was suggested to me that in fact the Corporation had received some direction from Cabinet last October. Can the Minister please advise this House whether or not direction was provided directly from Cabinet to the corporation on four specific recommendations in the Robertson report to the Power Corporation? Were they not told to move towards implementing those four recommendations?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I will have to take that as notice because I am not sure which four recommendations the Member is referring to. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my question will be directed to the Premier regarding my Member's statement about the decision around the NWT Power Corporation board.

Mr. Speaker, we heard in this House yesterday in a number of responses to questions that August was the time that was set, a clear decision was made, as the Premier stated, and it was felt that it was stated clearly to the Minister responsible for the Power Corporation that they should cease the one-rate zone discussions.

Why then, Mr. Speaker, was there no action the day or the day after the board had filed with the PUB on the one-rate application? Why did that not occur? If it was such a clear decision...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As we have said earlier, Cabinet made a decision in August to defer consultation on a number of issues, including discussions on a one-rate zone. The Minister responsible for the Power Corporation was to initiate the necessary action to implement the decision. The decision was conveyed in some form to the chairman of the Power Corporation. I guess that is where the confusion starts as to how clearly and how succinctly that was conveyed, but it was conveyed in at least one form, which is the copy of the decision that was made.

The Power Corporation filed in early September with the understanding, at least by the chairman, that they had the support of Cabinet and the Minister. As to how they got that is unclear to me at this time, because in reading the Cabinet decision and reviewing it with Members of Cabinet two weeks ago, we thought it was clear. We asked for a review by our staff and by the Department of Justice and they also concurred that the decision and the direction was clear. For whatever reason, the Power Corporation did not clearly understand or receive the decision and instruction, and so filed an application.

The earliest that Cabinet met was two weeks ago, at which time the Ministers raised the concern that this was not in keeping with the Cabinet decision of August. We had a discussion about it, and following that we did seek clarification to make absolutely sure that it was clear. Our staff and our lawyers in the Department of Justice indicated to me that it was clear. Just to make doubly sure, as I said, we revisited the decision and the board was instructed to withdraw the application and was instructed in the August Cabinet decision. They refused to comply and so Mr. Handley, as the Minister responsible for the board, revoked their appointments and then subsequently appointed a new interim board. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the Premier just stated two weeks ago that the Cabinet met to review this again. Was there a directive issued two weeks ago -- taking it from today would be October 3rd -- was there a directive issued to the Power Corporation board to withdraw their application at that time?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. There was communication with the board that they were not complying with the August Cabinet decision and that we expected them to comply with that Cabinet decision of August. As I said, just to make it absolutely clear so that everyone had a chance to review the Cabinet decision, we reviewed it and we made it even more explicit, and direction was given again to the Power Corporation and they refused to comply with the decision. Minister Handley then revoked the appointments of the board and appointed an interim board. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Again, as of the October 3rd meeting of Cabinet, was a directive reissued to the board as a result of your discussions in Cabinet? Was it reissued? Was the decision made at that point and a directive given to the board to withdraw that application as of October 3rd? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am not clear as to what form of communication took place between the Cabinet and the Minister responsible to the chairman of the board in August, except that the copy of the Cabinet decision was shared with the chair of the Power Corporation. Following the revisit of our Cabinet decision two weeks ago, we followed that up with a Cabinet decision and a directive, I believe, was issued by Minister Handley. The dates and times of it are probably better addressed by Mr. Handley. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Premier just stated that the dates and times are probably better addressed by the Minister responsible for the Power Corporation, but a directive was issued from the Cabinet table and he is chair of Cabinet. So was it, in fact, October 3rd when a directive was given to the Minister responsible for the Power Corporation to tell the board to withdraw the application? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The directive was issued I believe the following week. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the issue is that the funding we have for addictions and any funding that we may subsequently acquire, where would it best be placed? It is my opinion, and I think the opinion of the Chalmers report as well, that we have to look at some fundamental issues like the community programming, the qualifications and training of the alcohol and drug workers, the integration of the alcohol and drug workers with mental health services, and those services better integrated at the community level. Mr. Speaker, that is where I would see resources that may come available focused. Thank you.