I thank the Minister for his answer. I'm just a little bit disappointed in hearing that it's a generic one and I appreciate we need to develop a territorial one, but when we're looking at the small communities we're trying to get them off diesel fuel. I mean, ultimately, we're trying to make it a better place for people and reduce costs. So will the Minister get his department or the corporation to look at that strategy and talk to the smaller communities so they can work on something that they can make use of their money to make it more cost-effective to live in their communities?

As the Energy Strategy is rolled out it's not going to be Yellowknife-centric; I do believe they are going out to regional centres. So we will be seeking input, and the other Minister involved also will be seeking input from the communities on just the issues that are raised by the Member opposite.

Masi. Oral questions. Member for Nahendeh.

I thank the Minister for that answer, and it's actually great to hear that the corporation is working with other departments on that and I think it's a good idea in working with the communities and moving forward.

The Minister actually talked about, you know, Colville Lake and spending $2.7 million, if I'm correct, installing batteries to make sure the solar panels hooked in there. Will the Minister look at the other smaller communities south to see if they can actually do that to make it more efficient for a community? Another pilot project, I would love to have it in my riding, but if we could do another community, a small community, in the south so that they can try this project to see if it's a cost benefit to them.

Mr. Speaker, I understand actually in Fort Simpson there is a solar panel system at the airport, which, admittedly it's quite small. I can't commit to entering into another pilot project at this time but I know we are considering how we can reduce the costs of power in all communities, and certainly we do want to get away from diesel.

Masi. Oral questions. Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I'm going to pick up on the Member for Nunakput's Member's statement and ask the Minister of Environment and Natural Resources some questions on traditional economy. I'd like to ask the Minister how much money is there in the traditional economy budgets, whether they rest in ITI or ENR? Thank you.

Masi. Minister of Environment and Natural Resources.

Mr. Chair, the exact number that is in the budget I'm not quite sure of, but I do know that the fur advancement loan we paid out $408,000 for this year. But as for the exact dollar figure in the budget, I will get that number and I will share it with the Member, but it does rest in ENR.

Mr. Speaker, I'm hoping this is not too technical, but I'd like to ask the Minister: aside from taking kids trapping, what other programs are delivered under this budget?

Mr. Speaker, the other programs that are supported are the Community Harvesters Assistance Program, our local Wildlife Committee, Take a Kid Trapping as the Member said, and Harvesting Program, the Western Harvesters' Assistance Program, the Hunters and Trappers Disaster Compensation Program, and the Workers' Safety and Compensation Commission coverage for resource harvesters. So again, that is a wide topic of areas that it covers, and I will get the exact dollar figure and share it with the Members.

Mr. Speaker, as a traditional economy, I'd like to ask the Minister what the full spectrum of supports are there for hunters and trappers?

Mr. Speaker, through the Genuine Mackenzie Valley Fur Program we provide support for participants in the fur industry; there's three elements to it. There's actually the Guaranteed Advance for Furs, the Prime Fur Bonus, and the Fall Grubstake bonus and these are very good programs and a number of harvesters out there take the government up and ENR up on these opportunities.

Masi. Oral questions. Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh.

Marci cho, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as the House knows we have an issue with the numbers for caribou, and whether the caribou has moved further east or if the caribou are simply decreasing in numbers, I don't know, but I'm sure the Minister knows.

I'd like to ask the Minister if there's anything available to help the communities that traditionally live off caribou? If there's anything available to help those communities to go to where the caribou are to hunt for their communities?

Mr. Speaker, the Member is absolutely right, there is some concerns with the caribou and it's coming to a point where the caribou actually have no chance with all the technology that we have in getting out to the caribou and that's allowed their numbers to dwindle along with a number of other things, but there is some funding available to help community harvesters. As to the exact, I would have to confirm that, but I do know there's money available to help harvesters go and do a community harvest.

Masi. Oral questions. Member for Kam Lake.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I'd like to ask the Minister responsible for the Power Corporation some questions about resolving this issue. We've had a lot of discussion in this House and in the public around the issue of affordable power in the Northwest Territories; however, the debate has largely centred on the claims from NTPC versus the claims from ATCO, when the real issue that Northerners have on their minds is how to make power more affordable.

Now the Power Corporation mentioned systemic issues that drive up the cost of power, and one of those is a lack of connection to the continental grid. I'd like the Minister to provide an update on how NTPC is planning on resolving this systemic issue in the short to mid to long-term? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. Minister responsible for NWT Power Corp.

Mr. Speaker, connecting with the national or even international grid clearly would not be a short-term thing we could possible contemplate, as it would be a very expensive project to connect either through Saskatchewan or Alberta. There are costs, but certainly there have been talks at a very high level about that very project and we will be in talks with Saskatchewan as to the possibility of such a project proceeding; however, it is a project of great complexity involving several governments, also involving several Aboriginal groups on our side of the border and several on the Saskatchewan side of the border. So we are looking at this project because unless we have a massive population increase here the only way long-term to reduce costs would be to export.

Mr. Speaker, this government is engaging in three major transportation corridors; the North Slave Geological Province which we've heard about today involves the government of Nunavut and numerous Aboriginal governments as well. This is a multi-jurisdictional mega project. If we can do that why can't we do this?

Yes, certainly, Mr. Speaker, we are looking at these projects. All of these projects involve great complexity. It's not as though we've completed any of these mega projects. So I would expect as time goes on that we will have talks with Saskatchewan or perhaps other governments with a view to exporting power which is really the only way to reduce costs.

The Minister just said that exporting power has been the way to reduce cost. Does the Minister also agree that lowering the cost of power in the Northwest Territories would lower costs of doing business and provide more incentive for people to live, stay here, and start businesses, and for the mining industry to open new projects? Does the Minister agree that lowering the cost of power is a key economic concern for Northerners and for our economy?