Mr. Speaker, as we all know, the prices, especially with fuel commodities and gas, have no problem going up whenever there’s a fuel increase or there’s a hurricane in the Gulf of Mexico, but it seems like they have a real problem bringing down the prices when the price decreases.

Again, I’d like to ask the Minister, since we don’t have that legislation, if that is something the government would consider looking at, knowing that this problem does have implications right across Canada. I think as a territory we’re not exempt from that, especially when we do depend on provinces such as Alberta and elsewhere for our fuel commodities.

I’d like to ask the Minister: is that something this government’s considering in regard to reducing the cost of living and also having a system in place to protect the residents of the Northwest Territories?

The information I’ve seen from other jurisdictions where they’ve attempted to regulate gas prices just shows in the long term that there are no real long term benefits to the residents of that jurisdiction. In many cases it has a counterproductive influence, where if the prices aren’t right or if they’re too low, the folks who supply the fuel will just go to other jurisdictions where they can get a far better price. I don’t think, on the face of it, that we want to be running down the path setting up those kinds of forces in the market system we currently have.

Mr. Speaker, maybe the Minister can tell us exactly what type of authority this government does have, because it doesn’t seem like we are doing anything in this area. Does this government have responsibility in regard to consumer protection by way of a legislative authority?

We have some consumer protection authority in terms of the issue of regulating fuel prices. It’s not an area we are involved in. We do have the ability to set taxes on motive and non-motive fuel, but in terms of issuing instructions to the marketplace and putting in those types of price controls, it’s not an area we are involved in.

Thank you, Minister Miltenberger. Final supplementary, Mr. Krutko.

Mr. Speaker, again I’d like to ask the Minister if he can seriously take a look into this. I think we as government have the responsibility to protect our consumers from these types of unjust acts by big industry. I think it is an issue right across Canada, an issue in regard to oil companies making $30 billion profit. It seems like the consumer at the end of the day is the one getting the end of the pipe here. I’d just like to ask the Minister: will he seriously take a look at this and bring something back to the Legislative Assembly?

Again, I’d like to tell the Member that in fact the evidence that is there would indicate that this is not a way to productively try to impact the cost of fuel in terms of affordability. The Conference Board of Canada has come to that

conclusion, as have many esteemed economists, that in the long run there are major economic and social/political costs to that type of regime. At this point it’s not an area we have an intention of getting actively involved in.

Thank you, Minister Miltenberger. The honourable Member for Kam Lake, Mr. Ramsay.

Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. The Hon. Premier, Mr. Roland.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and I thank the Member for that question. In fact, it gives me an opportunity to speak about the call I made to Premier Charest when the idea of the meeting first came together. I followed up with him yesterday after the meeting again to discuss some of the events that occurred and a direction being set and the call, in agreement with the Prime Minister, to hold a First Ministers’ meeting before Christmas. We’re hoping to get the dates on that soon.

The reason I didn’t make the trip initially…. As I’ve said, I confirmed with Premier Charest that I was hoping to make attendance at that conference depending on, of course, what happens in the House. As we know, in a consensus style of government, the Cabinet’s in a minority situation, and we must always weigh carefully the actions that are happening within the House. At that point, I decided my time would be best served here in our Legislature.

I thank the Premier for that. I’m glad he did get in touch with Premier Charest on the results of that meeting.

Like I said earlier, I think there is a good possibility that if the federal government starts running deficits, they’ll start choosing between deep program cuts and…. I’d hazard a guess that they would also take a look at axing programs. Possibly equalization might be included in that. Again, I want to make sure that the Premier understands the gravity of not being at this meeting.

I want to ask him again: what exactly warranted his presence in the House yesterday so that he couldn’t be in Montreal to discuss these key issues?

Mr. Speaker, I think the Member can answer that question by looking at the Hansard that was taking place, printed in this House, and what was happening. The fact is, in operating as we do, in a consensus style government we have to weigh the options of where we go and the influence we may have at a certain meeting. I kept in touch with the Chair of the Council of the Federation, Premier Charest, and followed up with him and will look to have another meeting with him directly in the weeks coming.

Mr. Speaker, I just want, maybe, to get the Premier to state on record: what exactly is his first priority? Is it the people of the Northwest Territories and the future of the Northwest Territories, or is it his constituents back in Inuvik?

Mr. Speaker, we know that once a Regular Member is elected to Cabinet, their constituents lose a certain amount of representation because of the new role that Ministers, including myself, play in representing the territory. The budget is a territorial document, and this House decides on that.

Thank you, Mr. Roland. Final supplementary, Mr. Ramsay.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My final question. Given the gravity of the situation, the financial meltdown globally and the possibility that the federal government may look at cuts to equalization going forward, I’m wondering: why wouldn’t the Premier come to Members of the House and tell us, “I have to go to this meeting; I have to be at this meeting”? Why wasn’t that quoted to us? Why does the Premier make that decision on his own to stay in the House and not attend this meeting?

Mr. Speaker, in making a decision as to whether to go to any meeting, whether it’s provincial/territorial or FPT, in this situation one weighs all the options and tries to get as much information as possible. I was aware that there is going to be a First Ministers’ meeting with the same subject matter: the economy and the impact it will have on Canada. At that next meeting we will have the Prime Minister there, and that

would lead to a more fulsome discussion about the initiatives that may be taken or may not be taken. That’s what I weighed.

In fact, as well, we had communications go down the hall to let Members know that I was intending to go to that conference. But again, Mr. Speaker, as I said earlier, in weighing the actions that were happening within this Assembly, I had to make a decision as to whether to go or stay, and my decision was to stay.

Thank you, Mr. Roland. The honourable Member for Yellowknife Centre, Mr. Hawkins.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I talked in my Member’s statement today about a concern about diesel fuel for transportation and the concern that shortage has caused. My question could apply to multiple Ministers, but I think maybe in this particular case I may ask the Premier for his perspective on the situation.

In this situation here we have a possibility of a shortage.... Well, actually, I shouldn’t say possibility. We know there’s a shortage in Western Canada. The question really is: when is this shortage going to creep up into the Northwest Territories?

I’d like to ask the Premier: from his perspective what can the Northwest Territories government, first, be informed about, what do they plan to do about it, and what role can we play in this situation?

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. The Hon. Premier, Mr. Roland.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We became aware even previously. Last year, for example, there was talk of a shortage across Western Canada. The announcement that the Member is speaking about was refinery issues in Southern Canada.

For our supply here in the North — for example, to our remote communities — that’s resupplied by our Petroleum Products Division. Their fuel is up to max on the diesel side. For example as well, within the Power Corporation, at the Yellowknife facility, we have surplus supply there. We’ve taken the necessary steps and actions to protect ourselves here in the Northwest Territories.

We know, as well, from some of the discussion that last year Inuvik had some problems with resupply and worked that out with the bulk agent there, or Imperial Oil, in fact. I’m informed now that they have a good resupply as well.

Mr. Speaker, I’m pleased to hear that the supply won’t affect the resupply process that happened already this summer. I mean, from a community perspective, knowing that you only get filled up once, maybe even twice a year if you’re lucky, you’re right: it has a significant impact. I’m glad that there’s stability there.

But, Mr. Speaker, there are things like food that have to be delivered to the Northwest Territories through the trucking system. There is home heating fuel that has to be delivered as well — things along those lines. That’s some of the issue that’s being raised here, the concern on the street.

I’m just curious. From the government’s perspective what can the government do to make sure that the food supply keeps moving if there starts to be a shortage that has an impact on that type of delivery?

Mr. Speaker, one of the things we’ve done in looking at the potential shortage is to make sure we’ve got our bases covered for our facilities and assets in communities. We would be prepared to work with the private sector if a scenario were to arise that there needed to be some movement there. Of course, we’d be working with that.

Mr. Speaker, the Member is talking about an “if” scenario, and it’s pretty hard to look at that option. We haven’t been contacted by any of the fuelling operations here — for example, in the capital — about any concerns.