Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. The cost of fuel is hurting homeowners in small communities across the NWT. Seniors and those on a fixed income are especially vulnerable to increased fuel prices.

Since 1999, heating oil and propane prices have increased over 200 percent in many places. Last week Petro Canada rack rates in Hay River price diesel and furnace fuel oil at $1.01 per litre. Global demand and prices for fossil fuels continue to rise.

Government needs to look at ways to standardize fuel prices like other provinces have done. We could establish rates for private, commercial and industry customers, first in areas served by the petroleum products division and then consider ways to broaden support to the whole NWT.

We know that our years of subsidizing energy prices are dwindling. Fuel prices are among the greatest cost to individuals, communities, corporate taxpayers and the environment. We need to reduce our reliance on fossil fuels. Not only is it draining our bank accounts, it costs the planet and people more than we can afford.

Consider the changes to our culture alone due to dependence on fuel. Fossil fuel production threatens water supplies and air quality. It compromises cultural traditions and alters our relationship to the natural world.

Advances in technology have generally made our lives easier and longer, but we also rely less on each other. People feel like they have to spend all their time working to have money and things. For the most part, modern lifestyles depend on machines and the ability to travel long distance in a short time. That isn’t all bad, but we need to remember we’re in a balance with nature.

We’re making some positive changes in promoting biomass heating systems in homes and public buildings. We need to make sure private

homeowners and eligible public housing tenants can take full advantage of more stable prices of biomass energy. The government has launched a Solar Energy Strategy, and the Diavik Mine is powering some of its own operations with wind.

We need to help Northerners manage the price of fuel while working on longer term solutions to reduce our reliance on expensive energy. I look forward to more discussion on energy solutions for the NWT over the next few days.