David Krutko

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, we are proceeding. The Deze board is going to be the key agency that we are looking at to do the consultation. They were in Lutselk’e on March 15th to meet with different groups and agencies. Again, they met with some people and other people had other commitments. I think also there is a legal issue that we are trying to deal with around Lutselk’e, because they have signed agreements with a southern firm by way of regional power. It is a legal, binding contract. Until that contract expires, we can’t be seen to be competing with the same interest. I think...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, to my right I have Lew Voytilla, chairman of the Northwest Territories Power Corporation; to my left I have Mark Aitken, director of legislation, Department of Justice.

I am pleased to introduce Bill 4, Northwest Territories Hydro Corporation Act. This bill is necessary to facilitate the participation of the Northwest Territories Power Corporation in a joint venture with the Akaitcho Energy Corporation and the Metis Energy Company to expand the Taltson Twin Gorges hydro facility to provide power to the diamond mines.

The passage of this act will not in any way commit the Government of the Northwest Territories or the NTPC to proceed with the Taltson hydro expansion project. The act only makes participation in the project possible. Many steps are still...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Again, we are willing to enter into an agreement with the Town of Inuvik, the recreation department, whoever that may be in regards to facilitating this issue and have a signed agreement to spell out exactly what the costs associated with the replacement, where the new field is going to be located, make sure it is in black and white because I think the Member made it clear. We learned from the mistake we made in Aklavik. We don’t want to repeat that and make the same decision. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we have been working through the Town of Inuvik with regards to the relocation of the new high school in Inuvik. We are working with the town in regards to the replacement of that ball field, again working with the Slow-pitch League in Inuvik. Again, we are basically working through the Town of Inuvik by way of a consultative process and allowing them to facilitate, organizing these meetings with the different interest groups so that we do try to minimize the effects on all interested parties in regards to this decision. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I can direct the department to notify communities when the water levels will be raised by way of raising the water in the dam. Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased today to give you a status report on the energy conservation initiatives undertaken by the Department of Public Works and Services. This work was initiated last year through the GNWT's energy conservation action plan and supports this government’s action on climate change, as described in the NWT Greenhouse Gas Strategy, while upholding the principle of the NWT energy plan.

Earlier this year, I reported that PWS had been working with the Department of Justice to install a biomass heating system -- wood pellet boilers -- at North Slave Correctional facility. This has...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, it gives me great pleasure to recognize a constituent of mine, Mr. James Andre, who’s in town for the presentation this evening with regard to the Three Rivers Conference that’s going to take place at 7:30 at Northern United Place. I’d also like to recognize a former constituent from Aklavik, Bella Husky. Welcome.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, again, the normal protocol allows me to ensure that Cabinet sees it first before we release it, but I do not believe that will be a problem. So once Cabinet has seen it and approved the release, we will get it to the Member. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we have been working along with the Department of FMBS in regards to having this review overtaken by the office of the chief information officer because there may be a perceived conflict by way of us doing an investigation on ourselves. So it is being undertaken by the Financial Management Board Secretariat.

Again, I know I did commit to the Member that I would try and get back to him by April. Again, the work is ongoing because it is a comprehensive review. Also, we are trying to compare the information with other industrial trends across the country to...