Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. The Member for Range Lake, Mr. Dolynny.

Thank you, Mr. Dolynny. The Minister of Environment and Natural Resources, Mr. Miltenberger.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Within the week we expect to be in a position to announce definitely, in relation to the Beverly and Ahiak herd off to the east. The Bluenose-East herd, the numbers are just being collated and there’s work being done with the department and with the co-management board looking at the numbers and looking at how the numbers break out in terms of cow-calf recruitment and calf survival and the overall numbers. That work will be finalized, hopefully, within the week, but if not, shortly thereafter. As soon as those are concluded, I will be in a position to make a public announcement, but the intent still is, the numbers are there to warrant it, and we are looking to move if those numbers warrant on a tag per resident, I will be able to announce that this winter.

I’m looking forward to seeing that information. If the Minister can give us maybe another brief update on what’s happening with the commercial outfitter tag allocation for the upcoming season.

There is no commercial outfitter tag allocation. There is none currently, and given the herd numbers, there is no plan at this point to reinstitute those commercial tags for some time. The commitment on the Bathurst herd is going to be the next full count will be done in 2015-16, so it will be at least until 2016 before we’re in any position to look at the clear numbers of the state of the Bathurst herd to see what type of harvest may be possible.

It sounds, to my ears, that we’re going to be waiting another year or two here before we can do something for our commercial outfitters. They’ve been hanging on a wire for way too long here and I think we’ve got to help them out, but of course, I understand species management is paramount.

As I said 232 days ago, and I’m just going to repeat the same question: What is the formal format to allow resident hunters and commercial hunters to have a meaningful input in all upcoming management board discussions in caribou management or in our limit in harvest in the future? Thank you.

Thank you. We have a commitment to an ongoing role here in the Wildlife Act that will engage what is now currently called the Stakeholders Wildlife Act Advisory Group to make sure that we have that ongoing potential opportunity for input. As well, we will work on an ongoing basis with ENR to get feedback from outfitters. In the North Slave there are no settled claims. We’re trying to work out a process on a going-forward basis with the Wek’eezhii, which has

a settled claim, but there’s none in the North Slave with the Akaitcho. The Northwest Territories Metis, as well, have some claims up here in terms of land and access.

So we’re in the process of once again working out an interim arrangement with all of the parties to ensure we can manage the Bathurst herd most appropriately. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Final, short supplementary, Mr. Dolynny.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I appreciate the Minister for clarifying that. We’ve been aware for some time now that the Bluenose-East has been at record levels for at least four years now.

So with that information, can the Minister indicate how many times he’s met with the commercial harvesters and talked with them about the potential harvest? Earlier it sounded like we’re not going to be doing this for a number of years, but has the Minister sat down with these organizations and clearly mapped out the plan of action for their survival? Thank you.

Thank you. That flexibility and opportunity has been significantly impaired since we are currently involved in litigation and I’m being sued by the outfitters. So there’s a lawsuit underway which limits ability for that type of interaction. Thank you.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I heard my colleague from Yellowknife Centre talking about the cost of power in Yellowknife, feeling that Yellowknife residents are being singled out in some way and not getting the same kind of subsidy as other communities in the Northwest Territories.

Without the benefit of unedited Hansard, I’d like to ask the Minister responsible for the Power Corporation, did the Minister say that the high cost of power in Hay River and Yellowknife had something to do with the franchises operated by Northland Utilities? Thank you.

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. The Minister responsible for the Northwest Territories Power Corporation, Mr. Miltenberger.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. When we provide the information to the Member, I’ll be happy to share the cost breakdowns by community, what they sell the power for, what residents pay for in the hydro communities. I can lay out, as well, for thermal communities, but the

residential rate is pegged to the Yellowknife rate. There is a cost difference based on who the distributor, who the provider of power is.

I’d like to ask the Minister if he’s aware of an institution called the Public Utilities Board and that in fact the provision of all power, electricity in the Northwest Territories is a highly regulated utility where, whether it’s Northland Utilities or the Power Corporation, they make application to the PUB under a general rate application process and the rates that they charge are regulated. It’s based on rate of return, the cost of doing business and this is an organization that’s appointed and overseen by this government.

So I’d like to ask the Minister that while he is comparing the price in the hydro communities where NUL holds the franchise, would he also like to look at some of the smaller diesel communities where NUL delivers the utility, as well, compare those communities of the same size where the service is delivered by NTPC? Could he provide that to the House? Thank you.

Thank you. Yes, we will provide the complete package for the Members. Thank you.

Thank you. I’d like to ask Minister Miltenberger if he is challenging the decision-making process provided by the Public Utilities Board of the Northwest Territories. Thank you.

Not at all, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Final, short supplementary, Mrs. Groenewegen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. With the disadvantage of not having unedited Hansard before me, I will review Hansard and if in fact Mr. Miltenberger did make a statement in the House today which is incorrect, I will be asking him to withdraw tomorrow. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. Member for Inuvik Boot Lake, Mr. Moses.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Earlier today we heard the Minister of Education talk about an Education Renewal Framework. He mentions that we need to improve the relationship between communities and schools, as well as that students in small communities need to have access to quality education as much as those in our larger centres.

My question today is regarding how we can do that through innovation. So I’d like to ask the Minister with the great e-learning program that’s happening in Inuvik right now with the communities of

Tuktoyaktuk and Fort McPherson, is there any other communities slated on the list or on the budget for maybe this school year or next school year? Thank you.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Again, I’m just congratulating the Beaufort-Delta for their e-learning. It’s been very successful to date even though it’s a short timeframe that they’ve initiated the project. Now, we must congratulate them as well. This particular e-learning is new to us even though we’ve used it in other jurisdictions and with best practices from other countries as well.

In the process of the business planning cycle, we work closely with the school boards and they identify their budget for the whole year. As part of that could be the e-learning that the Beaufort-Delta can establish as part of their goals and objectives. So we as a department will be working closely with the Beaufort-Delta because we want to use that model in other jurisdictions and in other communities because it’s been successful. We want our students to stay in the communities. So I believe this is one area we are embarking on and it’s going to be a very exciting time for us. Mahsi.