Thank you, Mr. Speaker. There is a fundamental problem with the mandate of the Northwest Territories Power Corporation and the regulatory regime that it operates under.

Most of us do our best to reduce our power consumption for the benefit of both the environment — reduction of greenhouse gas emissions — and the consumer — less energy used means lower electricity costs — and we should be trying to

conserve for both of these reasons. The more we reduce our energy consumption, the less power we use. The less power we use, the more NTPC revenues drop. The more their revenues drop, the more riders they add to our bills. When NTPC cannot generate enough revenues to meet their expenditures, they ask for a rate increase or a rate rider to make up for lost revenue. The bottom line is that the dollar figure on our power bill goes up.

There is no incentive for an NWT homeowner to want to reduce energy consumption. Until we change this system, Mr. Speaker, we can never get ahead. Either the environment will take a beating or we will.

The government is reviewing electricity rates and regulation, as mentioned in Minister McLeod’s statement the other day. The calculation of NWT power rates must be completely revamped with a view to fairness and equitability.

Capital costs for upgrades to power generation in one community have to be applied to all communities across the territory, not just to the individual community where the infrastructure is built. Individual communities cannot handle the high infrastructure cost on their own.

We also have to look at revamping the corporation itself. NTPC must be renewed and reorganized. That NTPC is at arm’s length from the GNWT is a good thing, but I feel it has led to the mentality in the organization that they can do whatever they wish without consequences. There seems to be little concern for the consumers, for good business practices on the part of the NTPC’s leadership, little desire to increase efficiencies and identify savings in order to keep our power rates at a reasonable level.

A culture of efficiency and effectiveness must be instilled, with cost savings the number one priority for this company. For example, the corporation can eliminate management bonuses. It can stop the current massive advertising campaign that tells us how NTPC is going green and conserving. I have to wonder how much of those savings they are crowing about is being spent on advertising. The Power Corp can eliminate wasteful spending. I received a perfect example of such waste a few weeks ago.

Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.

Unanimous consent granted.