Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister responsible for the NWT Power Corporation, Mr. Handley. Mr. Speaker, under the existing NWT Power Corporation Act, under section 8(3), the board shall direct the business of the corporation and may exercise its power to perform those duties under the Corporation Act and regulations. Also, Mr. Speaker, it states under section 4 that the board, in exercising its power in performing its duties and the powers and duties of the corporation under the act and regulations, shall act in accordance with the direction of policy guidelines that may be in place from time to time and issued by the Executive Council.

My question to the Minister is, a lot of time and emphasis was put on the Robertson report in regard to looking at energy in the Northwest Territories, looking at alternatives and trying to find ways of ensuring that we have a secure, safe source of power and energy in the Northwest Territories. I would like to ask the Minister, why is it that this government has not taken the Robertson report, which was tabled in this House in November, and basically proceeded to implement that report?

Mr. Speaker, our intention, for the last year, at least, has been that we need to have the Robertson report and the energy strategy coordinated, so that we have one comprehensive strategy in terms of how we are managing all of our energy issues, including the Power Corporation. Without that, we stand the risk of either pre-empting some things or having two reports or two strategies going in different directions. So the reason there has been to slow down the Robertson report until the energy strategy is available for discussion. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as we all know the energy strategy is nowhere in sight, yet we have a report that was tabled in this House two years ago and nothing is being done. I would like to ask the Minister, is it just smoke and mirrors that is allowing us to delay a decision of this government which will benefit the people of the Northwest Territories? Why is it that we are putting all our eggs in one basket with regard to the energy strategy knowing that there is already a report tabled in this House and nothing has been done with that report?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I realize that it has been some time since the Robertson report was done. The recommendations in it I think are as valid today as they were at that time. They are not getting outdated or anything, so they are there. At the same time we did the Robertson report, or shortly after, there was a decision by Cabinet that we needed a broader framework within which to look at energy issues. The energy strategy exercise was begun a little over a year ago and that one is being worked on. I realize the frustration of not seeing it yet, but hopefully it will be here in the near future so that we can look at both the Robertson report and the energy strategy well within the life of this government. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, with regard to the responsibility for the energy strategy it falls under the Department of Resources, Wildlife and Economic Development, yet the Minister responsible for the Power Corporation is the department that implemented the Robertson report. So directly the report was directed by your department to carry out the review of the power generation in the Northwest Territories. The energy strategy has nothing to do with your department, so why is it that your department that is responsible for the Robertson report is not implementing it?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As I mentioned yesterday, in October 2001 there was direction by Cabinet for the Minister responsible for the Power Corporation to carry on with public consultations on the various recommendations in the Robertson report. In August 2002, looking at where we were with the consultation on that one and the energy strategy, there was direction from the Executive Council of Cabinet that we wait until we have the energy strategy in our hands before we proceed with further consultation. It was by direction from Cabinet. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as we all know the Robertson report came to light because of the Hay River franchise issue which was a hotly debated issue in this House. I think with regard to the reason for it, it also looked at the question of the one-rate zone and that process was brought forth to Members of this House through our committee structure. There were workshops held in the different regions. That process was well on its way before we even considered the energy strategy, so why is it that now all of a sudden when we have a process in place, we have consultation with committees of the House, we have public meetings in our regions and workshops, and then an application has been filed and this government, at the eleventh hour, again intervenes in a process that is on its way using the excuse that we are waiting for an energy strategy? Why are we, as a government, interfering with a process at this time knowing that...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As I said, the reason was that we have the Robertson report with a set of recommendations with regard to hydro generation and distribution and so on. Then there was a need to look at our energy policy on a more broad basis. There was a Cabinet decision in August to put a hold on further consultation on the Robertson report until we saw what was coming in the energy strategy. Mr. Speaker, that was directed by Cabinet and the reasoning for it is an issue which may be more properly directed to the Premier. Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to deal with item 7.

Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to go to item 6.