Thank you, Mr. Chair. Could the Premier please confirm: is this the section where GSOs are in? Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Thompson. Premier McLeod.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. GSOs fall under the section entitled Directorate.

Thank you, Premier McLeod. Mr. Thompson. Mr. Thompson, we are on pages 111 and 112.

I don't have questions on this section. Thank you.

Thank you. Mr. O'Reilly.

Thanks, Mr. Chair. In this section, there is a line item here for Public Utilities Board. In the mandate for the 18th Assembly, one of the commitments is to improve net metering for our residents so that we can try to build more energy self-sufficiency. Have there been any changes in direction to the Public Utilities Board with regard to net metering? Thanks, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. O'Reilly. Premier McLeod.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I should point out that this department only provides administrative services to the Public Utilities Board Minister. However, having said that, there has been no further direction to PUB on net metering. We expect that any direction will emanate with the release of the upcoming new energy strategy for the Government of the Northwest Territories. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Premier McLeod. Mr. O'Reilly.

Thanks. I appreciate the clarification from the Premier. The mandate commitment reads as follows: "We will support net metering through clear policy direction to the Public Utilities Board to provide certainty to allow customers to recover their investment in renewable energy." It is listed as an item for the executive to deal with.

When I last looked at the draft energy strategy, there was nothing in there about net metering. Are there going to be some changes, then, to the strategy, such that net metering is going to get some kind of new direction? Is that where we are going? Thanks, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. O'Reilly. Premier McLeod.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. As part of the business planning process, it is our intention to move the responsibility for providing services to the PUB to the Department of Infrastructure, which has the lead on energy manners, and I expect that, once it is housed there, whatever direction to the PUB will emanate from that department. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Premier McLeod. Mr. O'Reilly.

Thanks, Mr. Chair. I appreciate that. That comes as news to me. I never heard that before that the Public Utilities Board is going to be moved to administration or ministerial reporting, or whatever is going to go to Infrastructure. If I have questions, then, about how we are actually going to support net metering, is the Minister then suggesting that I need to ask those of the Minister of Infrastructure? Thanks, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. O'Reilly. Premier McLeod.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. My understanding is we thought we were responding positively to requests from the standing committees, specifically the Standing Committee on Government Operations. It is my expectation, and I certainly believe that this responsibility is more properly housed within the Department of Infrastructure. I expect the appropriate direction will emanate from that department. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Premier McLeod. Mr. O'Reilly.

Thanks, Mr. Chair. I think I have been to almost all of the Standing Committee on Government Operations meetings -- I am an alternate -- but I don't recall there ever being any direction from that committee to move the Public Utilities Board to the Department of Infrastructure. If indeed it was, then Infrastructure would come under Economic Development and Environment, so I am just a bit confused by what the Minister seems to be saying. Is he suggesting, then, that this is something that has been initiated by standing committees? Thanks, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. O'Reilly. Premier McLeod.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I guess to refresh the Member's memory I can provide him with a copy of the letter dated January 17, 2018, or I can table the letter in this House, or we can just give him a copy. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Premier McLeod. Mr. O'Reilly.

Thanks. I will be the first to admit that I do not read or see every single piece of correspondence, so if the Minister wants to give me a copy, that is fine. I will go back, though, to my earlier question then: is the Minister suggesting that the five questions about where we are going with net metering, that I cannot ask him, that I need to wait until the Minister of Infrastructure is up? Thanks, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. O'Reilly. Premier McLeod.