Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, if the Power Corp did set a residual rate or an interruptible power rate today, I can guarantee you that we'd have a lot of buy-in from private businesses and residences alike. You know, if we hooked up the whole South Slave to a residual power, an interruptible power rate, the whole NWT benefits. You know, less power subsidies, less power rates for the South Slave, the North Slave, everybody. It's a win-win situation, Mr. Speaker. I just don't understand where the Power Corp or the Minister is coming from when he says we have to go through a process to set the rates, to do this, we're looking at that. You know, this is something that we should do and why can't we just do it and let the general public either follow up with the initiative or not? You know, it's a win-win for everybody and I think everybody will buy in. Why can't we put an application in for an interruptible power rate in the South Slave region or everybody that's on hydro as a first step? Can we do that? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Villeneuve. Mr. Krutko.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I fully support the Member's endeavour to this, but again if we can get support from this House, from the government and also submit a proposal forward to the PUB making them aware that this is something they should seriously look at, I'm more than willing to do that. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. Final supplementary, Mr. Villeneuve.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'm sure the PUB has had access to many of the reports that have come out of this government that have been tabled in this House over the last 10 years on how we can save on power and how we can use all the residual power at the Taltson. Not to mention with the expansion, I'm sure we will still have some residual power with mines shutting down...

Do you have another question, Mr. Villeneuve?

...seriously look at some of these reports and putting some recommendations into place today? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Villeneuve. Mr. Krutko.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I'm glad we're having this debate today because I believe it is important that we do have to take some major steps to ensure that we have a decision on where we're going with energy in the Northwest Territories. I strongly support the Members for coming forward with some ideas and suggestions on how we can look at it, but again we have to develop a policy within this government, this Legislature, so that we know where we're going with power use. So again, Mr. Speaker, we are trying different attempts, we are coming forward with the energy guide, communities are developing their energy plans and

hopefully by doing it together we can come to a solution. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. Oral questions. The honourable Member for Monfwi, Mr. Lafferty.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as I highlighted in my Member's statement the need to take pellet wood stove into consideration as a main source of subsidy program within the government subsidy program, I'd like to ask the Minister responsible for Industry, Tourism and Investment what is the department's current subsidy program that deals specifically with energy efficiency when it comes to purchasing pellet or wood stoves? Mahsi.

Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. Honourable Minister responsible for Industry, Tourism and Investment, Mr. Bell.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My department has some programs for commercial ventures we've been funding through the Arctic Energy Alliance for some time. But, Mr. Speaker, I think the main point is that we know we've got to do more in this area both for residential and commercial customers. We are proposing in the energy plan that we'll be rolling out soon -- we're hoping to table it in March -- a number of initiatives that would look at the kinds of things the Member is talking about. We do want to help people get their costs down and we want to work as a territory to instil a conservation ethic. So I think there are a number of good examples. Converting to wood burning or wood pellet stoves is one such example, and I believe we will have some programs that target that sort of initiative. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Bell. Supplementary, Mr. Lafferty.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, there's a good example in the North Slave Correction heating system, an energy efficiency initiative. It's a great initiative that's been undertaken by the department. Great for the commercial perspective but, at the same time, we must take residential homeowners also into consideration. Mr. Speaker, I'd like to ask the Minister, are there plans in place to deliver the same system as North Slave Correction initiative into smaller communities? Mahsi.

Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. Mr. Bell.

Mr. Speaker, that was an initiative that was targeted. We needed another boiler system at the North Slave Centre and we thought that this was a great way to tackle that problem. I do think we need to be doing this in homes. We want to have that discussion with committee, about how we can apply this to residences and I think there are a number of things that we want to tie into, as well, including the eco funds that have been announced by the federal government. We don't have all the program details but understand some of that money will be available for renovations in homes. We think we can marry that with some help for people buying wood pellet stoves and probably come up with a comprehensive program that helps us save money and be more efficient and friendly for the environment. So that is one of the programs that we will be trying to develop over the coming weeks. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Bell. Supplementary, Mr. Lafferty.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, since I've touched on residential and the Minister spoke on commercial, I'd like to find out from the Minister about the commercial perspective, if that initiative is also going to be delivered in the smaller communities. I realize it's been very productive here in Yellowknife with North Slave Correction. So is that initiative coming forward to the smaller communities? Mahsi.

Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. Mr. Bell.

Mr. Speaker, we will be, as part of this energy plan, talking about setting internal GNWT targets for greenhouse gas emissions. That's going to mean we're going to need to do some things right across the territory in order to meet those objectives. But in terms of assets outside our own inventory, yes, we want to work in small communities to look at options for improving efficiency and lowering costs. We know one of the biggest factors that inhibit business in our small communities is the cost of electricity; stories of stores; the local store having a 70 or 80 thousand dollar power bill. You've got to charge a lot for milk and bread to make it up on milk and bread for what you have to pay for in power and we don't think that's sustainable. So we're going to have to work to help small communities through that problem. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Bell. Final supplementary, Mr. Lafferty.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the key question, I guess, of when can we see this residential heating system initiative going into the smaller communities? When? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. Mr. Bell.