Go ahead.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I just wondered...Early on I believe that our strategic planning discussions, like very early on, we talked about the statistics that are collected and the usefulness of them and so on, and I think quite a number of Members make use of the Bureau of Statistics’ products and so on. There was discussion at the time, and I believe from our staff, that there was increasing environmental monitoring and statistics or there was recognition of the need for that. I’m wondering what progress has been made in increasing and what environmental statistics do we now include in the bureau and perhaps which ones are under consideration. I think it would be very useful to have some additional information. Thanks.

Premier Roland.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Under the Bureau of Statistics quite a number of things and information is gathered and used, as the Member has stated, going out there and the need to expand on that work. I’ll have Mr. Stewart give some detail as to how that work is progressing.

Mr. Stewart.

Mr. Bromley.

Thanks, Mr. Chair. I appreciate that and it would be good to know more about this and maybe have the opportunity to discuss it and see if there might be some things we could, if there was interest in certain things to be monitored, we could put that up for consideration too if the Premier

would be up for a briefing on that at some point. Thank you.

Premier Roland.

We’d be happy to work with Members and set some time up so we can go over the process that’s established when we work with the federal government and some of our own work as well. We’d be happy to set some time up and provide that briefing. Thank you.

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Page 2-21, activity summary, executive operations, operations expenditure summary, $4.161 million.

Moving on to page 2-22, activity summary, executive operations, grants and contributions, contributions, $80,000.

Moving on to page 2-23, information item, executive operations, activity positions.

Moving on to page 2-24, 2-25, Public Utilities Board, activity summary. Mr. Menicoche.

Thank you very much, Mr. Chair. The Public Utilities Board functions are integral to the review of the power rates, Mr. Chair. Just wondering if there are any discussions by the Minister’s office to include any, I don’t want to say review of the Public Utilities Board, but can it be included in the discussions, the electrical rates review, et cetera? Thank you.

Premier Roland.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. The Ministerial Energy Coordinating Committee, the Honourable Bob McLeod is the lead on that initiative and has been pulling that work together that is about to get underway, and as he has reported, will report back in June. PUB is part of the whole equation, but maybe we can go to Minister Bob McLeod and he can give us further detail.

Minister Bob McLeod.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. As part of the electricity review, as the Premier has stated, we will be looking at how the PUB works and the function of the PUB and whether there is

some other form of oversight that could be looked at. I think it’s important to recognize that whether the PUB is there or not, there would be some cost involved in monitoring the rates that are set. It will be looked at as part of the electricity review. Thank you, Mr. Chair.