Good afternoon, colleagues. Welcome back to the Chamber. Before we begin, colleagues, for your information and the information of our guests, interpreters in the House this week will be channel two, South Slavey; channel three, North Slavey. Orders of the day. Item 2, Ministers’ statements. The honourable Premier, Mr. Roland.

Mr. Speaker, today I would like to speak to our government’s overall approach to energy, and specifically to the processes that are now underway that will help shape the future of the electricity system in the Northwest Territories.

Building upon the NWT Energy Plan and Greenhouse Gas Strategy, the vision and priorities identified by all Members of the 16th Legislative

Assembly, and with further input of all Members, the GNWT released our Energy Priorities Framework last October.

This document clearly

outlines our priorities, from enhanced efforts in energy conservation and efficiency to fundamentally changing our energy supply and reducing our dependence on imported diesel.

As the Minister of Finance outlined in his budget speech, our government has made an unprecedented financial commitment to bring about real change and reduce the cost of living, especially in our remote communities.

Mr. Speaker, we need to examine all opportunities to reduce energy costs and this includes looking at our electricity sector, how our electricity is generated and delivered, and how our electricity

rates are established. Our key process for this is our review of electricity regulation, rates and subsidy programs, which Minister Bob McLeod will be speaking to today.

In the context of the overall electricity review, there are two related processes I have committed to undertake.

The first is a review of the NTPC.

Members of this House and the Association of Communities have called on the government to review the structure and the efficiency of the NWT Power Corporation. Concerned about high electricity rates, customers and leaders have asked the government to confirm that the corporation operates as efficiently as it can. As Minister responsible for the Power Corporation, I plan to appoint an expert panel of industry and audit professionals. Before the end of this session, I will provide the names of the members of the panel to all Regular Members and inform the public.

Mr. Speaker, the panel will examine the financial statements, PUB rate applications, and general operations of the NTPC. I will be asking the panel members to meet with the PUB. A comparison of costs, rates, and practices will be done between NTPC and NUL, so that residents can obtain a fair comparison of community rates and the reasons for differences. The panel members will conduct comparative analyses of similar utilities, though, admittedly, there are few simple comparisons to our Power Corporation.

The panel members will then share the understanding they gain from their detailed analysis by conducting a series of meetings with important stakeholders. The goal of this exercise is to build a common understanding of the reasons underlying our current electricity costs, and to discuss opportunities for change. Our Power Corporation is a valuable asset of this government. If it can be improved, we ought to pursue those improvements. If services can be improved, and rates lowered or at least stabilized, we need to pursue those changes.

Mr. Speaker, there is an important link between the NTPC and electricity reviews. The electricity review is intended to discuss the implications of adding or reducing the number of companies operating in the NWT’s electricity sector. The NTPC review will provide data on the opportunities and implications

of reducing the number of utility players to one, whether it be private or public.

The second is a review of the ATCO proposal for a partnership arrangement in the development and delivery of power in the Northwest Territories, which I announced in January. This review should be considered as due diligence on the part of our government, in response to an unsolicited proposal. I am expecting an initial report in April to help determine whether this proposal should be pursued further.

The ATCO review will help us understand how a merged and privatized utility would operate in NWT, including changes to the way NTPC currently operates. The preliminary review of this proposal will help government understand the issues related to electrical utility privatization, and regulatory implications of additional privatization.

Mr. Speaker, again, there is an important link between the ATCO and electricity reviews. The electricity review will comment on privatization issues within the NWT electricity sector, and the appropriateness of our electricity sector regulation. It will also address how government may need to change its ability to direct its regulatory body, the Public Utilities Board.

I commit to working closely with all Members of the Legislative Assembly as we examine these complex issues and I urge all residents to take an active part in the public discussions that will take place over the coming months. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Roland. The honourable Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment, Mr. Bob McLeod.

Mr. Speaker, as the Premier has noted, our government's

current review of

Review of Electricity Regulation, Rates, and Subsidy Programs will work to identify those values Northwest Territories residents

wish to see

reflected in their electricity system. An examination of the way our system is regulated, how electricity rates are established, and the effectiveness of our subsidy program will help us to collectively shape the future of our Territory's electrical system.

This critical dialogue

with

Northwest Territories

residents, aboriginal governments and key energy stakeholders will be led by a professional team well versed in northern energy challenges and the complex public policy issues that we face.

These individuals represent an expert balance of knowledge and experience in areas of energy policy development and northern affairs.

Mr. Gerry Forrest possesses a great deal of experience in national and provincial electrical issues and has recently been involved in a similar review for the Province of Saskatchewan in addition to being a past chair of the Manitoba Public Utilities Board.

Mr. Doug Matthew’s hands on knowledge of northern energy issues began with his career in Tuktoyaktuk in 1978. His experience and expertise will be a valuable resource for our public discussions on the future of our electricity system.

Mr. Mark Cleveland’s long career with the Government of the Northwest Territories, and his experience working with communities on northern policy issues, will ensure that our discussions with communities and residents are effective.

Mr. Speaker, the first public meeting for this team is scheduled for the evening of March 4th in Inuvik.

Mayor Lindsay has graciously agreed to host this public meeting and I look forward to hearing the results of this discussion.

Subsequent meetings are being scheduled for the regional centres of Norman Wells, Fort Simpson, Hay River, Fort Smith and Yellowknife. We are also working with the Northwest Territories Association of Communities to hold a separate workshop for all non-tax-based communities, in Yellowknife on March 30th and 31st .

Mr. Speaker, the Government of the Northwest Territories will be widely advertising our public engagement sessions and we look forward to working closely with communities, residents, and all Members of the Legislative Assembly as we discuss the future of the electricity system in the Northwest Territories. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. The honourable Minister responsible for the Status of Women, Ms. Lee.

Mr. Speaker, as Minister responsible for the Status of Women, I wish to offer my congratulations and best wishes to two well-known women who have dedicated themselves to advancing the lives of northern and aboriginal women.

First, Ms. Bertha Allen was honoured by the Governor General of Canada with the Northern

Medal, specifically dedicated to Northerners whose “actions and achievements have contributed to the evolution and constant reaffirmation of the Canadian North as part of our national identity.” Ms. Allen has been recognized often over the years and such recognition is well-deserved. Her legacy remains strong in the North and in the Beaufort-Delta region through the lives of aboriginal women and their families over the years.

Ms. Allen has suffered enormous tragedy this past year and we wish to say that we think of her and her work and wish her well. The NWT is a better place because of her.

I also wish to recognize Ms. Arlene Hache who has been admitted into the Order of Canada. The Order of Canada was established to recognize outstanding achievement and service and is Canada’s highest civilian honour. Ms. Hache has worked tirelessly throughout the years to advocate for women and children to have programs and services work for them and effect change when change is needed. She is a well-loved woman, a fact very apparent when one visits the Centre for Northern Families in Yellowknife and meets her “extended” family.

Mr. Speaker, I offer my congratulations and best wishes to both these women.

Thank you, Ms. Lee. The honourable Premier, Mr. Roland.

Mr. Speaker, I wish to advise Members that the Honourable Jackson Lafferty will be absent from the House today, tomorrow and Wednesday to attend the Council of Ministers of Education Canada meetings in Saskatoon. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Premier Roland. Item 3, Members’ statements. The honourable Member for Great Slave, Mr. Abernethy.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, today I wish to draw the attention of the House to the significant contributions that the YWCA of Yellowknife makes to the Northwest Territories and their effort to increase the well-being and independence of some of the North’s most vulnerable people. The YWCA provides emergency

and transitional housing, family violence prevention programs and community support services, as well as after school programs at six Yellowknife schools and the Taiga Adventure Camp for young women.

The YWCA is an NWT-wide resource. It operates the Sutherland House in Fort Smith, which is a shelter for women and children fleeing violence. The YWCA’s programs that help children deal with the impact of family violence are delivered in a number of northern communities.

The Allison MacAteer House is a 12-bed crisis shelter in Yellowknife for women and children up to age 16 who are victims of domestic violence. The shelter offers a safe place for abused women and children as well as numerous support and counselling programs.

The YWCA will also assist in issuing emergency protection orders. Additionally, the YWCA operates Rockhill Apartments in the Great Slave riding offering both emergency and transitional housing units. It is a key resource for homeless families. Most of the residents are often single mothers, but there are also single fathers and close to 140 children. It also operates four supportive housing homes that provide life skills, training, community inclusion and a 24-hour in-home support for adults with intellectual disabilities or chronic psychiatric illness.

The Taiga Adventure Camp, currently operating out of Fort Smith, is a summer camp providing girls from ages 12 to 17 with a fun, positive personal growth experience. The camp helps develop life skills that carry well beyond the summer months and teenage years.

Invited north in 1966 by the Commissioner with the original mandate to provide housing, the YWCA has since broadened its outreach to meet the needs of our communities. Ninety-five percent of people who access the YWCA services are aboriginal. It is the lead agency on pan-territorial research on homelessness in northern women.

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

---Unanimous consent granted

The YWCA’s challenges are great not only to meet the needs of its clientele but also to secure funding for their staff and keep the facilities in good repair. The YWCA is in an excellent relationship with its funders and a broad donor base in the northern business community. However, staff at the YWCA make only 60 percent of a typical government salary, which contributes to the high turnover and constant need for staff training. It also highlights the dedication and

perseverance of its long-time workers and volunteers.

The YWCA has been an important part of our community and a turning point for northern families for over 40 years. Mr. Speaker, I ask Members of this House and the public to join me in offering support and wishing them continued success. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Abernethy. The honourable Member for Mackenzie Delta, Mr. Krutko.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, last week the Minister of the Environment made a statement from the meeting held in Whitehorse with the Canadian Council of Environment Ministers. In his statement, he made reference that: “I am pleased to advise this House that after six years in development, the majority of CCME members endorsed national standards for municipal wastewater effluent.”

Mr. Speaker, it’s a long time coming but it’s also important to realize that this is a major capital investment that has to be made in our communities and throughout the Northwest Territories.

Mr. Speaker, we are talking about 33 communities. Right now we are having a challenge just to put water treatment plants in our communities. For this major infrastructure to be taken on by this government is going to be a major capital expenditure. I think that we have to find a way to work with the municipalities and communities to deliver such a change. I think it’s important to take a close look at the services we do have, especially in a lot of our communities where we do depend on vacuum trucks to take the sewage out of the communities, take it to the lagoon, dump it off, and then return to the community. We do have to find a way to develop infrastructure in our communities, treat the wastewater, and protect the environment of the Northwest Territories and the wildlife.

I’d like to support the Minister’s endorsement on this, but more importantly the issue for me is how we, as the government of the 16th Assembly, are

going to be able to finance such a major undertaking that we have to have a major layout of capital dollars to implement this policy decision made by the Environment Ministers.

At the appropriate time I will be asking the Minister of Environment questions on what he signed and when we are going to see the infrastructure fund flow to the Northwest Territories.

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. The honourable Member for Sahtu, Mr. Yakeleya.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The government-proposed investment in energy is good news for the Northwest Territories. I’m pleased to see that the plans include funding for a feasibility study for the hydro potential on the Bear River and conversion to natural gas in Fort Good Hope and Tulita. These projects, if they move into development stage, will benefit the Sahtu and reduce our dependency on expensive and polluting fossil fuels.

While these projects get ahead in the right direction, it will take many years before they have any direct impact on the residents and the environment. People in the Sahtu want immediate solutions that can help them reduce their energy costs and consumption as quickly as possible. It seems that many initiatives under the energy priority framework will have more immediate benefits to the people who live in the southern part of the Territory. They already benefit from cheaper electricity costs and each year have access to alternative energy solutions like the wood pellet stoves and boilers.

For this energy framework to have real meaning, it is important that the smaller, more isolated communities have the tools they need to use energy wisely and efficiently. I hope that the new Biomass Strategy and other energy initiatives will have direct support for the people of the Sahtu. We need to balance these initiatives with investments that can make an immediate difference for our people in the Sahtu. I’ll have questions for the Minister responsible for the energy corporation at the appropriate time.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I want to speak again today about consensus government. Last Thursday I asked the Premier a number of questions about Cabinet solidarity and why it was that we conduct business the way we do. In my line of questioning last week I may have hit a nerve with some Cabinet Ministers, but believe me when I say it was not my intention to insult anyone or their abilities in any way. What I was doing in saying and suggesting that, is there is a better approach to how we govern.

With our system of government there is not a consensus manual or a guide. Our system of government was born and has evolved because of its elected leaders. From time to time adjustments need to be made.

Because our system of government is one of convention, it is up to us to make any changes. I appreciate the Premier’s offer to put communications on the table and develop protocols, but our problems run much deeper than what is on the table, as the Premier mentions.

I’m not looking to throw the doors wide open on a constitutional development and I was surprised that the Premier, in answering questions last week, would even suggest that. The fact is we can change the way we operate this government. What I was suggesting last week is all we need to do is take the lock off of Cabinet Ministers. I agree with the Premier that this is about more than protocols. It’s having the courage to change the way we do things. Just because we do things the way we do doesn’t necessarily make it right.

I don’t make a suggestion like this lightly. Believe me that I have given this a great deal of thought. My background and my formal education is in political science and I arrive at my suggestion with the best interest of this House and of our residents in mind; those who are demanding sound decision making from this government, something to be sure we haven’t seen much of in the first 17 months. The good news is we can change this if we want to and it could be the change that gets us back on track, gets us back to the roots and true spirit and intent of consensus government.

Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. The honourable Member for Frame Lake, Ms. Bisaro.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Members of this House and NWT residents are all aware that every three or four years our communities hold elections for mayors and municipal councillors. These elections are governed by a piece of territorial legislation called the Local Authorities Elections Act, which is currently under discussion for possible changes and updates.

The NWT Association of Communities, representing all of our 33 communities, has been advocating for change to the Local Authorities Elections Act for many years. It needs to be brought up to date and made more efficient and workable.

The Department of Municipal and Community Affairs, in the last six months or so, in conjunction

with a number of non-departmental representatives, has done some work on this outdated act and the department is proposing changes to the act and is looking for input.

What kind of changes are they? A possible shortening of the election period, which is currently seven weeks, down to anywhere from three to five weeks; allowing for alternate voting methods; allowing for more voting opportunities as voters now only have two days in which they can vote in comparison with up to two weeks for territorial elections in some ridings; allowing electronic vote counting; reconsideration of the process for tie votes and recounts; adding prohibitions on campaign advertising; allowing municipalities to require reporting of candidates’ campaign contributions; clarifying and expanding the powers of the chief municipal electoral officer; increasing offences and penalties related to election signs -- always a hot topic; and increasing fines for elections offences.

The Department of Municipal and Community Affairs has had a discussion paper out for a couple of months now, but the opportunity for input ends soon; February 28th , to be exact. Anyone with an

interest in municipal elections should take advantage of MACA’s invitation to provide their ideas and help to shape the amendments to the act. As a former municipal politician, I know I will be providing my comments and I look forward to seeing the recommendations from this work in short order.

Thank you, Ms. Bisaro. The honourable Member for Nahendeh, Mr. Menicoche.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. In Nahendeh we are proud of the success of our high school, college, and university students. We want our students to have opportunities to make choices for happy and productive futures. We hope many of our children will remain or return after completing education to work at jobs, including government jobs, in our communities.

In the past, students have had opportunities to work full time for the GNWT in the summer. This has provided them with a number of things: work experience, a better understanding of what kind of jobs are available in our communities, on-the-job skills and knowledge, and money to help them be more self-sufficient.

I call upon the government to support our summer students this coming spring with full-time summer jobs. I think all departments should have student

placements. I hear that cutbacks have led to only half-time positions, but this does not provide the most valuable work experience as time is so limited. Also, it doesn’t provide enough money for students, particularly those attending college and university. I urge our Ministers to be flexible and creative and ensure that full-time positions to our students are available.

Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. The honourable Member for Tu Nedhe, Mr. Beaulieu.

Mahsi cho, Mr. Speaker. [English translation not provided.]

Today I would like to talk about the need to assist Tu Nedhe communities with establishing and operating a freshwater fishing operation. Both Lutselk’e and Fort Resolution are located in prime fishing locations. Lutselk’e is in the heart of the East Arm of the Great Slave Lake where world-class trout, whitefish, and Arctic grayling spawn. Fort Resolution is located on the south shore of Great Slave Lake where cod, whitefish, and pickerel have been fished for generations.

The Great Slave Lake is the ninth largest freshwater lake in the world and the deepest in North America, yet the fishing industry on this great lake seems to be waning over the last few years. With limited employment opportunities in these smaller communities, a modest fishing operation in Lutselk’e and Fort Resolution will give residents new opportunities for income. Being a traditional-based activity, many residents already fish, so there will be no problem recruiting and retaining workers for this. Mr. Speaker, currently the two communities have small fish camps outside the community where the local people fish for subsistence purposes where they smoke and dry fish for preservation purposes. In Fort Resolution, the Buffalo River fishing camp sees a lot of tourists during the fall fishing season, thus indicating a small fishing industry can exist.

Mr. Speaker, in Lutselk’e the local people market their daily trout catches when visitors come to the community. Some governments report this could be a small vibrant industry that could keep a few people employed on a seasonal basis.

Mr. Speaker, with some support to Lutselk’e and Fort Resolution for this, the whole North will benefit. In addition, Mr. Speaker, there are many nutritional benefits of fish, diversification of income and, of course, promotion and preservation of an important traditional activity. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.