Bob Bromley

In contrast, jurisdictions where power rates are only 6 or 8 cents per kilowatt hour have required payments of 40 or 50 or 60 cents per kilowatt for wind, for solar, for biomass energy, and have turned their energy services around. Clearly, the potential for us to offer such prices for renewable energy and ultimately enjoy reduced costs is immediate. The annual GNWT subsidy for electricity is over $14 million, up 40 percent from 2009-10 to 2010-11 and rising. Why continue such silliness when alternatives are available?

We could choose to continue our headlong pursuit of an inefficient fossil...

I appreciate those remarks. Good to hear. I see early childhood development as the answer; one of the big answers to many of our issues in the health, education and the justice field, a huge opportunity. So we need to get these things in place. Ninety percent of what we know of the brain today has been learned in the last decade. We need to incorporate that. There are amazing relationships being discovered, and opportunities for savings and treating our people better. So will the Minister tell us when we will be getting this information and can we expect to see it in the business plans for the...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I appreciate the Minister’s commitment once again. We need to move from an outdated energy system that is costing our people in every way, to one that promotes healthy land, people and economies. What steps will the Minister take to get all of this done during our term? Thank you.

Thanks to the Minister for that response. I wish it was completely accurate, but unfortunately many of those $60 million, of course, were directed to irrational subsidies of fossil fuels. Many of our people across the Northwest Territories want to reduce their energy costs. They have motivation and infrastructure suitable for generating renewable energy for their own use and for sale, but first a fair price is needed. A feed-in tariff price is fair because it recognizes the benefits and savings of renewable energy. Will the Minister commit to considering a feed-in tariff policy and requiring...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d also like to recognize our table officers today. I recognize Mr. Anthony “Tony” Whitford as the resident of Weledeh.

In the gallery, I believe, is Amanda Mallon, who was there earlier. She is a resident of Weledeh and city councillor.

Also there is Gail Cyr, who has been mentioned, a recent recipient of the Queen’s Jubilee Medal. Also, if memory serves, also perhaps a past Wise Woman Award winner and most importantly, of course, a resident of Weledeh.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The biggest factor in cost of living and economic development is the cost and availability of energy. Yet, in terms of progressive energy policy, we are so misled by the use of fossil fuels, which are costly and cause climate change, that we are missing the boat and the world is passing us by. What we do or don’t do in energy policy and planning is pivotal to our success. Our challenges are clear: Skyrocketing cost of fossil fuels, dangerous climate changes, shrivelling community economies, fossil fuel subsidies 10 times that for renewable energy, and uncertain...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I seek unanimous consent to deal with Motion 4-17(2), which I gave notice of yesterday. Mahsi.

---Unanimous consent granted

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to table two documents. The first is entitled, “Letters and E-Mails Received in Support of the Need for Urgent Action on Climate Change.” The second one is entitled, “Proposal for Substance Abuse Pre-Treatment/Aftercare and Counselling.” Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I seek unanimous consent to return to item 9, written questions, on the Order Paper.

---Unanimous consent granted

I appreciate those perspectives from the Minister. I’ve repeatedly asked whether there have been other veterinarian students and the only information I’ve ever been given by the department was on veterinarian assistants. So I’d be happy to have that information confirmed, but of course we’re not talking about many seats. It’s rare that we have students come forward with the qualifications for going after a veterinarian degree, and recognizing the need and the interest from the Sahtu for example, recently, I think we need to get this done. So I’d ask the Minister, will he go after this so that...