Thank you, Mr. Speaker. On October 23, 2008, I had questions for the Minister of NTPC on initiatives that the communities can use in terms of how they can conserve their energy in terms of a device that was used in B.C. I think it is called an electrical monitoring device. The Minister responded very favourably to my question. I would like to ask the Minister in regards to these monitoring devices, when will they be available to the residents in the Northwest Territories to use as

a tool to conserve the energy and also to save on the power bill?

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. The Minister responsible for the NWT Power Corporation, Mr. Roland.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The monitoring device is one that would measure the use of electricity in homes and the homeowner could then decide what appliances they are using, how much energy and if they should be changing that appliance or changing the method of use of that appliance. It is something that we are in the process of purchasing additional monitors. They would be, in a sense, not just for one unit. We would have to use them in different communities and places so that they are transferable. They would be, in a sense, borrowed or put on a unit for a number of days or a week or so. I am not sure the extent. Once the homeowner finds out the type of consumption, maybe they can do some adjustment in that manner and then that unit would be taken to the next home in a community. We would rotate them. That is the process we are looking at doing. I know that we have ordered additional units and looking at how we can get them out to communities. Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, certainly the Minister is correct in terms of the usage and the advantages of having monitoring devices in the communities. I would ask the Minister in terms of identifying locations and where these offices are situated throughout the Northwest Territories, if he would give some careful consideration to some of the communities that are more isolated communities that would help them with their consumption or monitoring, educating the people in terms of the use of energy in their homes and that they be provided some direction also in terms of how they can take advantage of these monitoring devices.

Mr. Speaker, that is the reason why we are ordering additional monitors, so that we can spread it around the Territory. We would look at a number of communities or areas when it comes to the high cost of living and try to spread it out as much as possible. Again, there are only so many units we can have and rotate around the communities in the Territory. Once we get this plan set up, I will share that with the Members. Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, I also understand from the response from the Minister’s office in terms of these monitoring devices, that they are available at some of the local hardware stores in the Northwest Territories. Is there any way that some of the private homeowners that may not be eligible but would like some of these monitoring

devices be put in their houses, any way within NTPC’s operations that they somehow can get some reimbursement or a discount in terms of when they purchase it through these local hardware stores as in terms of their effort to conserve energy and to reduce the cost of living in their communities?

Mr. Speaker, the Power Corporation itself has set up a process where real purchase and real use of those devices around the Territory, we are not in a position to buy them and give them away. That process may be better used through Arctic Energy Alliance’s process where there could be that type of support through a number of other departments. Our goal within the Power Corporation, because of the structure and the way we have to account for our funding, we have agreed to purchase more of these units and rotate them around the North to try and help out as many people across the North. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Roland. Your final supplementary, Mr. Yakeleya.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Can the Minister then somehow communicate to the Arctic Energy Alliance in terms if residents knowing that the NTPC has a limited amount of power monitoring devices that he can communicate this to the Power Corp to meet with the Arctic Energy Alliance to see if they are willing to set aside a certain amount of dollars so individuals who are in private units in small communities and somehow can work out an arrangement to receive these monitoring devices in the North?

Mr. Speaker, the approach I will take is work with the Ministers, the Energy Coordinating Committee, and make the approach to the appropriate bodies, whether it would be the Arctic Energy Alliance or through this process. We will look at what we can do to try to expand this program as much as possible. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Roland. The honourable Member for Weledeh, Mr. Bromley.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is for the Minister of Education, Culture and environment. I am wondering, as a follow up to my statement earlier today, what renewable energy, energy efficiency and energy planning programs are currently available at Aurora College or other institutions in the Northwest Territories and/or under planning to be implemented soon. My question, of

course, is based on the opportunity we have here to achieve many of the goals of this Assembly by using our own people to address this very important…I think we have seen it reflected in the questions already today. I would appreciate that response. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Bromley. The honourable Minister of Education, Culture and Employment, Mr. Lafferty.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Certainly we have a partnership through Aurora College and Aurora Research Institute which is the hub of the Arctic Research Initiative. Certainly through that avenue students are taking specific programs through Aurora College with the partnership with southern institutions as well and the universities. There is the pan-territorial discussion on how we can expand with our programming at that level. We are open to suggestions and ideas. I think we are making great progress in the North. Mahsi.

Somehow that doesn’t develop my confidence a lot. I am not aware of any training programs currently offered in this area in Aurora College, but I would be happy to learn anything specific the Minister is aware of. This was awarded a year ago by the Standing Committee on Social Programs to the department. What partnerships are we currently developing specifically with other institutions? Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, there was some discussion on environmental studies, possibly programming at the Aurora College facility. We are working close with ENR in that area, along with environmental monitoring boards. There is been some discussion and it’s at the preliminary stages. Certainly we will be making strides in that area because it is important to have that programming in the North. Certainly the ARI, Aurora Research Institute, will be actively involved in this area.

I appreciate the comments from the Minister. Mr. Speaker, we’re planning to spend $15 million this year on energy initiatives. Those are new initiatives and that’s not to mention the programs that we’ve already got going, so there is an urgency to this. I know we’re filling up our planes with consultants from the South but that’s not the best use of our resources. We do have some progressive entrepreneurs in the North; for example, Arctic Green Energy, which is working with pellet boilers and so on. I think there’s an Energy Wall Construction company and probably several people could mention companies in their own towns. Are we planning strong, effective and immediate support for an apprenticeship program to ensure that we get the technical expertise

developed by our own people with these progressive companies that are actually struggling because of the shortage of expertise now and would appreciate that support? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, with apprenticeship programming there has been a review in that area. We’re always looking for suggestions and ideas on how or where we can improve in our programming. Certainly working along with other various boards and agencies throughout the North we get valuable input into our educational system. Certainly I’ll be more than willing to hear from the Member on what he has to provide to our educational system.

With respect to if it’s going to be an environmental aspect, he’s talking about trades, that’s another area. Those are the areas that we are currently working with. Like I said, we’re open to any suggestions from the Members. Mahsi.

Thank you for that response by the Minister and the openness that he’s extended. Would the Minister, therefore, commit to modifying the existing programs of building maintainer, electrician, plumber and gas fitting courses to incorporate energy savings into their curriculum and will the Minister commit immediately to developing apprenticeship opportunities for the progressive companies in this area? Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, certainly, like I said earlier, there has been a review being done on the programming within Aurora College. Certainly we’ll take those into consideration during our review of the programming again. I think we are at a stage where we need to integrate those into our programs, what the Member has alluded to. I think it’s an important aspect. On a moving-forward basis, we will be going through the business planning process and we’ll certainly take those into consideration. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. The honourable Member for Hay River South, Mrs. Groenewegen.

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. The honourable Premier, Mr. Roland.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we’re having a side discussion here on the approach to being the lead Minister. On the Strategic Initiative committees, as we’ve structured them, Refocusing Government Initiative is looking at the broad categories within government and how we operate and deliver programs and services. The specific area of program services review office has structured within the Refocusing Government Initiative and that is an area where we would be looking at the type of programming we’re delivering now in the environment, looking at is that the best way of delivery of a program. For example, we’re gathering information in a number of areas to get the baseline data on how the initiatives are working or how existing programs are working and then going to look at are there ways of improving on that service delivery or changing the way it’s delivered in our communities so it makes better use of the dollars. For the actual structure set-up, I will make that available again to Members and provide that. Thank you.