Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Item 7, oral questions. Item 8, written questions. The honourable Member for Yellowknife Centre, Mr. Hawkins.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Premier, the Honourable Joseph Handley.

Please provide to all Members of this House the total yearly funding contribution made to the Government of the Northwest Territories by the federal government in the last 10 years. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. Item 8, written questions. The honourable Member for Sahtu, Mr. Yakeleya.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs.

1. Please provide the dates for completion of the Main Street Chipsealing Program for all of the communities in the Sahtu region.
2. Please also provide a cost estimate of each project.
3. Other than chipsealing, please provide information with regard to alternate methods of paving roads and controlling dust.

Mahsi.

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. Item 8, written questions. Item 9, returns to written questions. Mr. Clerk.

Thank you, Mr. Clerk. Item 9, returns to written questions. Item 10, replies to opening address. Item 11, petitions. Item 12, reports of committees on the review of bills. Item 13, tabling of documents. The honourable Minister of Education, Culture and Employment, Mr. Dent.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wish to table the following document entitled Annual Report on Official Languages, 2003-2004. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Item 13, tabling of documents. The honourable Minister of Resources, Wildlife and Economic Development, Mr. Bell.

Mr. Speaker, I wish to table the following document entitled NWT Development Corporation 2003-2004 Annual Report. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Bell. Item 13, tabling of documents. Item 14, notices of motion. Item 15, notices of motion for first reading of bills. Item 16, motions. The honourable Member for Hay River South, Mrs. Groenewegen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

WHEREAS electrical power is an essential service;

AND WHEREAS affordable electric power is essential to the economic growth and viability of NWT communities;

AND WHEREAS the Government of the Northwest Territories' strategic plan identifies reducing the cost of living in the North as a priority;

AND WHEREAS there is a wide disparity between power rates paid in small communities that rely on diesel generated power compared to communities with access to hydro or natural gas power with residential rates ranging between the extremes of 12.13 cents per kilowatt hour and $2.66 per kilowatt hour;

AND WHEREAS the current full cost recovery rate structure disadvantages consumers within small communities and who rely on diesel generated power;

AND WHEREAS the price of crude oil recently exceeded $55 per barrel U.S.;

AND WHEREAS the Territorial Power Subsidy Program only equalizes residential rates for the first 700 kilowatt hours and qualifying business rates for the first 1,000 kilowatt hours, which is inadequate for many small businesses;

AND WHEREAS the Public Utilities Board, in decision 5-95, stated in the context of the affordability of power rates, that it is the responsibility of the GNWT to set policies with respect to matters of social engineering;

AND WHEREAS affordable power rates would have long-term social and economic benefits and would result in equal and fair treatment of all NWT power consumers;

NOW THEREFORE I MOVE, seconded by the honourable Member for Nahendeh, that the government review the Territorial Power Subsidy Program immediately to ensure that consumers in communities which rely on diesel power do not suffer any further hardship as a result of increasing oil prices;

AND FURTHER that the government direct the Northwest Territories Power Corporation to provide information on options respecting the current community-based rate structure in light of practices in other jurisdictions and general principles of fairness.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. A motion is on the floor. The motion is in order. To the motion.

Question has been called. All those in favour? All those opposed? The motion is carried.

---Carried

---Applause

Item 16, motions. Item 17, first reading of bills. Item 18, second reading of bills. Item 19, consideration in Committee of the Whole of bills and other matters: Minister's Statement 48-15(3), Sessional Statement; Minister's Statement 49-15(3), Fiscal Update; Minister's Statement 54-15(3), Progress Report on Health and Social Services in the NWT; and, Minister's Statement 70-15(3), Report on Ottawa Meetings, with Mrs. Groenewegen in the chair.

I am going to call Committee of the Whole to order. What is the wish of the committee? Mr. Menicoche.

Madam Chair, the committee wishes to consider Ministers' statements.

Okay. In any particular order, or just all of the Ministers' statements that are on the order paper? Mr. Menicoche.

Thank you, Madam Chair. We will begin with Minister's Statement 70-15(3), and then we will discuss 48-15(3), 49-15(3) and 54-15(3).

Does the committee agree?

Agreed. Thank you. We will take a short break.

---SHORT RECESS

I am going to call Committee of the Whole back to order. The first Minister's statement that we are going to look at today is Minister's Statement 70-15(3), Report on Ottawa Meetings, that was

given by the Premier today. Are they any general comments? Thank you, Mr. Ramsay.

Thank you, Madam Chairperson. I just had a few comments on the Premier's report on his Ottawa meetings. I just wanted to ask the Premier if he had the opportunity to look at setting up meetings with the leaders of Canada's opposition parties, especially the Conservative Party of Canada and the New Democratic Party of Canada -- Mr. Layton and Mr. Harper -- and if he didn't meet with those two gentlemen on this trip, when he might be looking at meeting with them. Thank you.