Bob McLeod

I’m not sure what the Member means when he says we’re number one. All of the power and the communities and the rest of the Northwest Territories would be very pleased to have the power rates that we enjoy here in Yellowknife.

As far as power distribution, we manage it very carefully through the Public Utilities Board. Every rate increase goes through a regulatory review process, and as we go forward as a government we have the ability to review our policies to see if they are in our best interest to move away from the existing distribution system. Thank you.

I would be glad to hear any suggestions from the Member. This is the best offer that’s ever been made and it’s been rejected, so we will continue to work through the land claims table.

The GNWT offer and what’s been negotiated in negotiations with the Dehcho First Nations is the most favourable ever made in the Northwest Territories, if not Canada.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to welcome Members back for the continuation of the Fifth Session of the 17th Legislative Assembly.

As we near the end of our term, it is only natural to want to look back at what we have achieved. While we have accomplished many of the goals and objectives we set for ourselves when we first met in October 2011, there is still more work to be done. Now is not the time to rest on our laurels.

We have a vision of strong individuals and communities sharing the benefits and responsibilities of a unified, environmentally sustainable and prosperous Northwest Territories.

We...

Mr. Speaker, entrepreneurs and small business owners in the Northwest Territories are committed, passionate and extremely hard working.

I would like to take the opportunity to recognize a particularly dedicated business owner, Mr. Francis Anderson. Mr. Anderson has been the owner and operator of Saville Enterprises, a thriving hardware store in the Hamlet of Tuktoyaktuk, since the age of 19.

Maintaining a business in one of the most northern communities in the Northwest Territories may have its challenges, and Mr. Anderson’s business is a great example of how they can be overcome. His work to...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In December 2012 the government provided the Standing Committee on Government Operations a discussion paper on the establishment of an ombudsman office. The discussion paper summarized the various Northwest Territories appeal bodies and statutory appeal officers already created through 35 individual pieces of territorial legislation. These statutory processes already provide the public with opportunities to register complaints, request investigation, or appeal questions of administrative fairness.

In addition to existing legislation, our small population and consensus...

The jobs that were devolved from the federal government, there were 135 positions that were filled that were transferred to the Government of the Northwest Territories. I would say approximately 80 to 90 of them were in Yellowknife. One of the conditions for devolution of those positions was that we could not move them within two years, so we would have to wait at least two years to even consider doing anything with those positions. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yes, we are. We have identified $21 million over the next three years, and we’ll be, as well, investing in the housing market in the communities, so our expectation is we will have approximately 178 new houses in the small communities that are predominantly identified for decentralized positions. Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, I wish to advise Members that the Honourable Glen Abernethy will be absent from the House today to attend the Canada Northwest FASD Partnership Ministers’ meetings in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, over the last few days, the future of energy and the approach of the Government of the Northwest Territories to energy in the Northwest Territories has been explored, deliberated and discussed at length.

The 2014 Northwest Territories Energy Charrette has generated a great deal of interest throughout our territory and beyond. Over 120 people participated in the entire charrette and there were many more who attended the public discussion held on Monday, November 3rd.

We had representatives from communities and Aboriginal governments from every region of the territory and attracted...