Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Cabinet has serious concerns about what is proposed by this bill. If Bill 23 were to become law, it would essentially create a right to receive power while removing the obligation to pay for it. This would have a number of negative impacts on our residents. We would undoubtedly see some customers become burdened with large and perpetually growing debts, and as a consequence, the power companies would see their uncollectible debts grow. This isn't just speculation. We saw it happen last year when NTPC paused collections, ceased disconnections, and removed load limiters during the first months of COVID-19. Ultimately, the lost revenue created as a result of this bill would have to be recouped through the ratepayers meaning higher power rates and higher bills for everyone.
Mr. Speaker, this Assembly made reducing the cost of power a priority, and this bill would almost certainly have the opposite effect. However, Cabinet is willing to let this bill go through the process, and we will be abstaining from this vote. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.