Everything that’s funded by GNWT money, I believe, has to be considered. We talked about leaving no stone unturned. That doesn’t matter if it’s the Power Corp, the health boards, divisional boards, housing folks. It doesn’t matter. We have to make sure that we manage all the money. This body votes on every penny that runs those 5,000 employees, all our boards, agencies and our own government departments, so we have to look at them all. As the Member asked, are all options on the table, and the answer is, once again, yes.

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

Thank you, Mr. Dolynny. The Minister of Public Works, Mr. Beaulieu.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In June 2013, a recommendation came from the Standing Committee on Priorities and Planning from the Regular Members. It recommended that Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources be created into a separate department. Cabinet looked at that in May of 2014 and looked at that recommendation and made the decision that we would consolidate one of those functions, well, two of them actually, the energy and the petroleum into Public Works, so that was the reason for us making that move over to creating that division under Public Works and Services.

We’ll probably dissect that question more as we get into the budget, but how does the Minister plan to coordinate with departments such as Industry, Tourism and Investment, Environment and Natural Resources and the NWT Power Corporation, especially on energy policy and all these initiatives?

Actually, we feel that with these three divisions consolidated under one area of Public Works, it would be easier to develop comprehensive energy policies and strategies. We find that we’ll also be able to synchronize our planning for all of the energy functions. We also will be bringing people from ITI, three positions from ITI that were in energy policy and planning, along with the Northwest Territories Energy Corporation and positions that were there, along with one position from Environment and Natural Resources.

Thank you to the Minister. As I said earlier, PWS oversees its new Fuel Services Program, previously known as the petroleum products division. This Fuel Services Program deals with NWT communities not accessible by the private sector.

Can the Minister indicate how he intends to track the cost of fuel in these communities?

The petroleum products division will become the fuel services division, so all of the functions at this point where we’re buying fuel from the rack and then delivering and then having distribution at the community level, those costs and then the functions and the positions that are directly associated with those functions of delivering fuel to

the communities will be the cost of fuel, and that’s how we will continue to determine the cost of fuel in these communities that we provide fuel services to.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Can the Minister indicate if he intends to make the cost of fuel in communities more easily accessible, more transparent to the public to view?

Yes. We try to, within the rules and the regulations that govern the revolving fund, we have some flexibility, so as now, when the opportunity comes where we anticipate the fuel costs continuing to go down for a little bit more, we’re lowering the cost of fuel for all of the communities where we provide a service, and the cost is going to be lowered from anywhere from seven cents to nine cents a litre at this time and anticipating some more costs of fuel being lowered when the delivery actually occurs.

Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu. The Member for Yellowknife Centre, Mr. Hawkins.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to ask some questions to the Minister of the NWT Power Corporation. Oddly enough, it’s not actually on rates, so those concerned can feel comfortable it’s not about that or, yeah, those who can feel a little at ease.

Late last year we were given the terribly shocking news that the government may have to look at bailing out the potential rate rider that would have carried about $20 million on the Power Corporation, and that would have been about $10 million each year. Since that time of the experience that led us to the particular problem, oil prices have significantly dropped.

My question for the Power Corporation Minister is: It was banked on that it was approximately $10 million each year to cover the shortfall through the generation of power, so I’d like to know what type of analysis is being done, because I guess we gave approval for $20 million, $10 million each year, to be spent to make up that shortfall in power. I guess we don’t need all that particular money, so what type of watch is happening, how much money are we actually saving from that initial $10 million each year that we gave them to spend? Because if you’re not spending it, I’d like to know what’s happening to it.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We will spend what is needed, so the volume will depend on the temperature. For example, when I came in here Tuesday from Fort Smith, it was about 40 below, and when I came over the hill every smokestack at Jackfish was going flat out with a great big plume of smoke, so it depends on the consumption.

There have been some projected savings with the cost of diesel. Diesel hasn’t come down as much as the price of oil. We’re tracking that. We’ll account for every penny and litre that we use and burn on an as required basis.

Ten million dollars has not gone into the NTPC coffers. It will only be done based on actuals and invoices, so it will all be accounted for, and we’re paying very close attention to that projected savings.

Once again, depending on the cold and what’s happening with fuel prices, it could be in the neighbourhood of $900,000 or maybe $1 million, but again it depends on a number of factors that we don’t control. Thank you.

Any savings is certainly good. Usually when Members approve a supplementary appropriation, we usually say goodbye to the money because we never see it again. The issue really is about accounting, and I’m glad to hear it’s going to be drawn down by bills and actuals.

When can the territorial residents and, more particular, when can the Members see the accounting of at least this first year? It’s difficult to predict next year, but when can we see the accounting and results of that particular money, because we want to make sure this money is being spent on what it’s intended for. Who knows where it goes once we give approval to it and that’s really the issue.

I would just like to clarify for the record for my young colleague for Yellowknife Centre, that a point of fact is when supplementary appropriations are voted on, we do see them, we see them visible all around us. They help us provide services to adults down south for health. They help fund projects. They help move money forward in the budget, so we can do the Tuk-Inuvik highway. Every cent that we put into supplementary appropriations and approve in this House is visible and brings added value to the Northwest Territories.

With regard to the Members, if there’s a wish, we can pull together an accounting today, if you’d like, but we’d be more than happy to meet with committee. I understand there’s a meeting coming up with the Power Corporation with the committees. We can have them make sure that they have that information at hand for committee members. Thank you.

Knowing the rules of the House as I do, I can’t speak to a specific example made in committee once, but the deputy minister said if they have money left over for a particular initiative, they just keep it. So that’s the point of this exercise and why I’m asking about this particular money, to make sure it’s accounted for properly. If all the money isn’t required – we went on good faith to support it – we’d like to see what isn’t used and returned to the good balances of the people of the Northwest Territories.

As far as reporting it, I’d be personally satisfied if you could report it when it’s completed in the cycle of the season. Thank you.

Once again to my young friend from Yellowknife Centre, my political life exceeds his by a couple of months and I can say to him with some certainty, plus some time in government, the rule that I’ve seen is the Legislature has been very careful all along that they always coffer the money. One of the conditions in the FMB that comes to the House is the money is spent on what it is voted for and if you don’t use it, it goes back. If you want to change the use, then you have to ask. So I will make sure that the staff of NTPC are ready to address the issues when they meet with committee. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. The honourable Member for Hay River North, Mr. Bouchard.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions will be for the Minister of Finance on a few things that were in the budget. The first thing I have is about the moving of the territorial parks positions to Hay River.

Can he indicate to me how many positions that includes?

Thank you, Mr. Bouchard. The honourable Minister of Finance, Mr. Miltenberger.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It’s still in planning, but it will be at least two positions.