I would like to thank my colleagues for their comments in regard to the motion. I’d like to thank the Minister for making us aware of what is happening in regard to the Minister’s energy coordinating committee.

But I think we also have to realize that I read a decision that was made by the Public Utilities Board in 1995. It is 12 years later, and we are still talking about this issue. So I think it is important that we act now. By the Minister’s direction and the committee work on this motion, I believe it will get us to where we want to go. Hopefully, we will have it completed before our four-year term is up in this 16th Legislative Assembly.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to make everybody aware of what Minister Bob McLeod touched on. I think the biggest beneficiary of this is going to be our business community and the socio-economic viability of our communities. And that alone has a price tag. As I stated, we’re spending in excess of some $14 million on subsidies by way of the Territorial Power Support Program, the Housing Corporation subsidy by way of $4 million. The cost of this government to file some 28 applications every time there’s a PUB process.

I think it’s important that, as government, through those savings…. I know my colleague Mr. Bromley touched on exactly what are we doing to try to find new ways of generating energy initiatives. If everybody were on hydro it would solve the problem. Realistically, that’s not going to happen in regards to Kugluktuk, Sachs Harbour, Tuk or even in the communities in the valley unless we do something by way of a hydro project.

I know we’ve invested $1 million to look into hydro projects in regard to Whati or Lutselk’e. That’s the start we have to move on. In order to do more of those, we have to re-invest the money that we’re spending right now by way of Territorial Support Program, the money that we spend in regards to the social housing subsidy, by way of power subsidies. The amount of time and money that’s been consumed to file these applications every two or four years is a very costly endeavour.

It is important that we look at that. We’ve already done some of that by way of looking at what’s happening in the hydro communities, heating public buildings to using hydro surplus heat.

I, for one, feel that this motion will eventually kick-start the process, and we will be able to move forward. With that, Mr. Speaker, I ask the Members to support this motion. Also, at this time I’d ask for a recorded vote.