Kevin A. Menicoche

[Statement delivered in aboriginal language and then in English.]

Mr. Speaker, one long standing issue facing the community of Wrigley has been a lack of permanent nursing and policing services. The government’s position has been that until there are police stationed in Wrigley, Health and Social Services would not station a permanent nurse there.

The situation has changed, Mr. Speaker. There is now a guarantee that there will soon be policing services in that community, and I want to thank the Minister of Justice and the Government of the Northwest Territories for that.

On the same note, I do...

The provision of any type of services for Wrigley is essential. I believe the recent Statistics Canada figures state that Wrigley is one of the ones with a declining population. That’s exactly because there is a lack of services. There is still that lack of services today, and I believe they are essential.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Does the Minister know if a part of the general rate application community hearings — I think that’s what they’re proposing — will be in some of our smaller communities, in particular the Nahendeh communities?

I really believe that there’s got to be another way of doing this, that the Power Corporation is the one that submits the general rate application. They must have the ability to at least look at their operating costs to be able to determine some savings there, some efficiencies, and then use those internalized savings to pass on to the customers. Then maybe there is an increase, but it doesn’t have to be straight to the pocketbooks of our NWT residents.

Mahsi cho, Mr. Speaker. [English translation not provided.]

Mr. Speaker, the NTPC general rate increase for 2008, I’d like to address this burning issue for Nahendeh residents: a proposed increase in power rates to the NWT smaller communities. I have long been a champion of a standard flat rate system. That’s right: a one rate power zone. This, I believe, brings fairness and equality to all NWT residents in regard to having an essential service, electricity, in all our homes, the same access and the same benefits no matter where you live in our NWT.

One year ago I asked the Public Utilities...

I don’t think residents of Nahendeh believe that for a minute, because we have two distinct different operating communities. We’ve got South Lake, which uses a different utility provider, and then you’ve got a community like Nahanni Butte, which uses NTPC, and their rates are almost a dollar different there. How can that be? That’s why I believe in an internalized review of the NWT Power Corporation. How our people pay for this cost should be reviewed and internalized before we ask for an increase in rates for all the communities. I’d like the Minister to see if he can do that.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. My questions today are for the Minister responsible for the NWT Power Corporation with regard to the general rate application increase for 2008.

Once again, as in my Member’s statement, I said that residents disagree. I’m here to ask the Minister: is there a way to delay or defer this process until we get a good review of the NWT Power Corporation? Another way of doing business there is to look at reducing the operating costs. Can the Minister address that? Mahsi.

Thank you very much, Mr. Chair. I move that this committee recommend that the Government of the Northwest Territories table a comprehensive response to the report within 120 days.

On Friday, May 23, 2008, the Standing Committee on Government Operations presented its Report on the Review of the 2006–2007 Annual Report of the Languages Commissioner. The report, which includes four recommendations, was read into the record by members of the standing committee on that day. Mr. Chair, I would suggest dealing with any general comments members of this committee might have before dealing with any recommendation.

I move that this committee recommend that the Minister table a detailed action plan no later than October 2008 outlining how the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation will address the recommendations of the audit report.

Furthermore, this committee recommends that this plan outline the following details:

specific measures for actions addressing each recommendation;

an explanation of what each of the specific actions addresses;

progress measures for each action;

timelines for each action or measure; and

organizational responsibility and accountability assigned to each specific action.