Your time for Member’s statement… Okay. Thank you, Mr. Moses. The Member for Hay River North, Mr. Bouchard.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Along with my 12 colleagues, I’m concerned with the growing cost of living in the North. Many people are finding it difficult to pay their monthly bills. Every time you turn around, the cost of food, water, taxes, fuel and, more recently, the price of power is going up. These people are the majority of the Northwest Territories, the general public, and the high cost of living especially affects the middleclass and lower-income people throughout the North.

The public is looking to this government to find ways to reduce the high cost of living. Many people are finding ways to reduce their costs and reduce their dependence on power and fuels.

My experienced colleagues have demanded that this government look at ways to reduce the cost of living. I would like to discuss two ways I feel that can be effective and it’s attainable during the life of this Assembly.

I believe that biomass is a great return on investment. It is a renewable resource; it is a product of a valuable commodity: lumber. Biomass also has great potential for heat and for power as well.

The second tool that I believe this government can use to reduce the costs is through the hydropower system and the expansion of our power system. The expansion of the hydro system must link to the southern grid to both NWT hydro systems. The system then can expand north up the Mackenzie Valley.

The high cost of living is a growing monster. Because these high costs are spreading to business as well, all residents are affected and they are affected in the cost of fuel, food, rent and all aspects of people’s lives. We need to come up with a plan to stop and reduce the escalating cost of living in the North. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Electricity, we can’t live without it. We grumble every time the power bill comes in. It drives up the costs of living in our communities. Next to food and rent or housing costs, our power bill is the one element that most contributes to our high cost of living in the North.

Two and a half years ago the government reviewed electricity rates in the NWT. As a result, power rates across most of the NWT were changed, for the better, mind you. Those rates were frozen for two years. Those two years are up right now and we’re about to feel the result of that freeze as our power bills are set to increase 25 percent in the next three and a half years. To soften the blow, the government now chooses to subsidize that rate increase instead of addressing the root causes of our high power bills.

We need to reduce our reliance on diesel generation and look to green, renewable sources of power. We had the opportunity to start down that road three years ago. Instead of pouring money into subsidies we should have applied that money to energy initiatives. Initiatives like determining alternative sources for power generation, greener sources, cheaper sources. We did not.

In 2009 the general view of those consulted on electricity rates was that it was time for the creation of a long-term vision for electricity and almost all believed that the GNWT should develop, direct and lead such a vision. The GNWT chose the easy road and left any thought of a vision behind.

It will take a long time to transform any vision into real projects to achieve cheap power sources for each and every one of our communities. That’s not a reason not to start. The 16

th Assembly showed

some recognition of the urgency of the issue and committed $60 million to energy projects over the life of the Assembly. In the 17

th Assembly that

funding has come to a screeching halt, nowhere to be found.

We can’t keep throwing money at our high power rates and taking such short-term actions. We have to take a longer-term view of the problem and that means putting money into the 2012-2013 budget to attack the root causes of our high power bills. If we don’t, we’re doomed to ever-increasing power bills, an ever-increasing cost of living, and an exodus of people leaving the NWT because of it.

Thank you, Ms. Bisaro. Colleagues, before we go on I would like to remind you that when a Member is speaking, the mics can really pick up sidebar conversations. Please give the Member the attention they are due for their statements. The honourable Member for Mackenzie Delta, Mr. Blake.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today my Member’s statement will be on the price of fuel. Before I get into that, many people in the Mackenzie Delta right now are out on the land boating, hunting muskrats, ducks, enjoying life up there. One of their biggest challenges is the price of fuel.

In Aklavik many residents pay $1.88 for one litre of gas. In Tsiigehtchic it’s $1.77. In Fort McPherson, which was the least expensive in the Mackenzie Delta, it’s $1.65.

Many people in Aklavik would like to see some type of subsidy for their gas. The gasoline in Tsiigehtchic is subsidized but, as you can tell, it doesn’t make much of a difference compared to the community of Fort McPherson, which is 57 kilometres away.

I believe that this government needs to do something to tackle this problem and give everybody the same type of fuel prices throughout the Northwest Territories.

Thank you, Mr. Blake. Item 4, returns to oral questions. Item 5, recognition of visitors in the gallery. The honourable Member for Yellowknife Centre, Mr. Hawkins.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Once again I’d like to recognize the J.H. Sissons Grade 4 class led by their teacher Catherine Siegbahn. I want to thank them for attending today’s session. As promised, I will see them later next week and show them where their stories are tabled on the official Hansard forever. Thank you again and thank you for listening attentively.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I also would like to welcome the Grade 4 class and especially recognize an extraordinary young lady, Ms. Rae Panayi. I would as well like to recognize a fiddler extraordinaire, Mr. Cameron Bond.

Thank you, Mr. Bromley. I’d like to welcome all visitors to the public gallery here today. Thank you for taking an interest in our proceedings. Thank you and welcome.

Item 6, acknowledgements. Item 7, oral questions. Item 8, written questions. The honourable Member for Range Lake, Mr. Dolynny.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The GNWT has recently concluded an assessment of the relative costs of owning and renting office space in Yellowknife and the impact the GNWT has on local market. My questions are for the Minister of Public Works and Services and relate to the Yellowknife office space market.

1. As of February 2012, what were the

percentages for inventory use and vacancy rates for the Yellowknife office market for both Class A and Class B rents? What was the square footage, in both feet and metres, of these spaces?

2. Currently, what are the percentages for

inventory use and vacancy rates for the Yellowknife office market for both Class A and Class B rents? What is the square footage, in both feet and metres, of these spaces?

3. Once the new GNWT 60,000 square foot office

building is operational, what will be the predicted percentages for inventory use and vacancy rates for the Yellowknife office market for both Class A and Class B rents? What will be the square footage, in both feet and metres, of these spaces?

Thank you, Mr. Dolynny. Item 9, returns to written questions. Item 10, replies to opening address. Item 11, petitions. Item 12, reports of standing and special committees. Item 13, reports of committees on the review of bills. Item 14, tabling of documents. The honourable Minister responsible for Finance, Mr. Miltenberger.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wish to table the following three documents, entitled “Supplementary Estimates (Infrastructure Expenditures), No. 7, 2010-2011;” “Supplementary Estimates (Operations Expenditures, No. 4, 2010-2011;” and “Supplementary Estimates (Infrastructure Expenditures), No. 1, 2012-2013.”

As well, I wish to table the following document, entitled “A Review of Cost Pressures Facing the Northwest Territories Power Corporation, March 2012.”

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It’s a great pleasure that I table the Compendium of Stories from the J.H. Sissons Grade 4 Class by their teacher Catherine Siegbahn.

Lastly I’ll say I’ll encourage all Members to take the opportunity and such to encourage their students in their communities to try something similar. The kids are quite proud of the opportunity.

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. Item 15, notices of motion. The honourable Member for Hay River North, Mr. Bouchard.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I give notice that on Friday, June 8, 2012, I will move the following motion: Now therefore I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Monfwi, that the Legislative Assembly recommend the appointment of the following individuals to the Northwest Territories Human Rights Commission:

Mrs. Marion Berls of the town of Fort Smith, for a term of four years;

Mr. Charles Dent of the city of Yellowknife, for a term of four years;

Mrs. Bronwyn Watters of the city of Yellowknife, for a term of four years;

And further, that pursuant to Section 17(2) of the Human Rights Act, Mr. Yacub Adam of the city of Yellowknife, be reappointed for an additional term to expire on October 30, 2014;

And furthermore, that the Speaker be authorized to communicate the effective date of these appointments to the Commissioner.

Thank you, Mr. Bouchard. The honourable Member for Mackenzie Delta, Mr. Blake.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I give notice that on Friday, June 8, 2012, I will move the following motion: Now therefore I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Kam Lake, that Ms. Nitya Iyer be appointed as the Equal Pay Commissioner in accordance with the Public Service Act by the Commissioner of the Northwest Territories as recommended the Legislative Assembly;

And further, that the Speaker be authorized to communicate the effective date of the appointment to the Commissioner.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I give notice that on Friday, June 8, 2012, I will move the following motion: Now therefore I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Sahtu, that this Legislative Assembly recommends that the Government of the Northwest Territories bring

forward legislation to establish an independent parliamentary ombudsman office with the mandate to investigate complaints about the practices and services of public agencies and to promote fair, reasonable, appropriate and equitable administrative practices and services;

And further, that the Government of the Northwest Territories provide a comprehensive response to this motion within 120 days. Thank you.

Thank you, Ms. Bisaro. Item 16, notices of motion for first reading of bills. Item 17, motions. Item 18, first reading of bills. Item 19, second reading of bills. Item 20, consideration in Committee of the Whole of bills and other matters: Tabled Document 2-17(3), Commissioner’s Opening Address: Creating the Conditions for Success; Tabled Document 3-17(3), Northwest Territories Main Estimates 2012-2013; Bill 1, An Act to Amend the Student Financial Assistance Act; Committee Report 1-17(3), Standing Committee on Government Operations Report on the Review of the 2010-2011 Annual Report of the Information and Privacy Commissioner of the Northwest Territories; Committee Report 2-17(3), Standing Committee on Government Operations Report on the Review of the 2010-2011 Northwest Territories Human Rights Commission Annual Report, with Mr. Dolynny in the chair.

Good afternoon, committee. I’d like to call Committee of the Whole to order. Today on our agenda we have a number of tabled documents: Tabled Document 2-17(3), Commissioner’s Opening Address: Creating the Conditions for Success; Tabled Document 3-17(3), Northwest Territories Main Estimates 2012-2013; Bill 1, An Act to Amend the Student Financial Assistance Act; Committee Report 1-17(3), Standing Committee on Government Operations Report on the Review of the 2010-2011 Annual Report of the Information and Privacy Commissioner of the Northwest Territories; Committee Report 2-17(3), Standing Committee on Government Operations Report on the Review of the 2010-2011 Northwest Territories Human Rights Commission Annual Report. What is the wish of committee? Mr. Menicoche.