Glen Abernethy

Mr. Speaker, I am not currently familiar with the actual price of fuel in the community of Fort McPherson. There are a couple of things to consider. Often, when people come to us and express concerns about the fuel prices, they are referring to the price of regular fuel. We do not purchase regular fuel in PPD. We purchase mid-grain, which is usually three to four cents higher than the regular.

With respect to the prices in Fort McPherson, they are a for-profit organization. We don’t know any of the criteria they use to price their fuel, but ours are based on actual purchase price for the GNWT...

Mr. Speaker, I would like to say the fall, but we do need to go through an O and M budgetary process to identify the resources that are needed to deliver this court. It will be part of the normal budget process. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Before we can say anything concrete, we do have to wait for the report to come in, but anecdotally, the response that we are getting back is quite positive, so much so that the courts have actually indicated that they’d like to expand this program and move outside of Yellowknife to Inuvik and Hay River, which is something we are interested in doing. We want to wait until we see the July 31st report so that we have concrete information. We are looking and considering moving this court outside of Yellowknife. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to recognize two people. First I would l like to recognize a constituent of the Great Slave riding, Mr. Brandon Albert. I would also like to recognize my father in the gallery, Dick Abernethy.

Mr. Speaker, I give notice that on Friday, May 31, 2013, I will move that Bill 18, Apology Act, be read for the first time.

Mr. Speaker, I give notice that on Friday, May 31, 2013, I will move that Bill 16, An Act to Amend the Justices of the Peace Act, be read for the first time.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Further to Return to Written Question 23-17(4), I wish to table the following document, entitled “Corrections Statistics 2011-2013.” Thank you.

The Department of Public Works, through the petroleum products division, does not subsidize fuel. In fact, through the Petroleum Products Revolving Fund Act, we are required to recover full operating costs from the retail sale of our fuel products. So there is no subsidy, but there is also no profit added on.

When fuel prices are calculated and determined, it is based on the actual product cost to the GNWT, transportation costs to the GNWT, a slight sales commission that goes to the local provider, O and M expenses, some evaporation loss, and taxes. But under the act we have an obligation to do...

Mr. Speaker, part of the program is that we require some expertise on the partner program that goes along with the DVTO courts. Now, in Hay River I believe that those resources and that expertise exists. So it is going to be money. Basically we need money to make this happen outside of the Yellowknife centre. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The DVTO court has been in place since March 24, 2011. Since that time we have had 22 participants go through the program – 17 male, 6 female – who have successfully completed the program. When we first put the program in, we indicated that we were going to do a review and we are actually in the process of signing a contract right now to have a review done. That review is anticipated to be completed by July 31st of this year. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.