Michael McLeod

I really can't see adding two extra seats. You know we go around and we say, well, we're not going to give you any more money for your transition house, or we're cutting your money for this. Oh and by the way, we're adding two seats and $1 million. People don't like that. I mean we're constantly saying we're going to cut programs and cut your funding or make them wait for their funding, and to add two seats…Now, I respect the work that the commission had to do. In the case of the riding in Inuvik, I don't really think that they've done their homework. I don't agree with the lines that...

Thank you, Madam Chair. I'm glad to have this opportunity to make some comments towards this bill. I look at the numbers on here and I see an overall population of 42,810. That's one riding for a lot of MLAs south. If you look at some of the numbers here, 2,800, 1,700, the numbers are low and for us to say that they're under-represented, if they're under-represented they're not getting adequate representation and we're not doing our job. That's the way I look at it.

I fully respect the people from the Monfwi's lobbying to get another seat, but I have to say that if the people from the...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I find it kind of odd that people of Inuvik have raised a concern. Now, I thought…I will just get to my question. Will the Minister communicate to the Public Utilities Board the importance of having a public hearing before any further proposed increase to the natural gas rates in Inuvik? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Is there going to be a public hearing into the rate increase proposed for the gas supplier in Inuvik? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Does a utility company not have to have a hearing before the rates are increased? I think that was my question, Mr. Speaker. Do they have to go through the Public Utilities Board to hold a hearing and not wait for the concerns of the citizens? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, yesterday I spoke to the concern from Inuvik residents about the increase in the natural gas price. One of the statements I made was the Public Utilities Board and said there was lack of evidence over concerns and had the members been living in the Northwest Territories, then I am sure they would have heard the concerns. But that is another issue for another day. I would like to ask the Minister of the Public Utilities Board, how is it that the supplier of natural gas can raise their rates without a public hearing where citizens can hear their...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We have already had some early discussion on this. We’ve had some face-to-face meetings with industry. We have had some discussions on some of the options with different stakeholders. So we have already embarked on looking at how we can deal with some of these initiatives. Of course, this coming winter is going to give us a better understanding of what we are really up against. Are there ways we can look at alternate routes? Are there ways we can consider some other options is something we will have to decide.

I want to point out though that we have already, along with...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I don’t have a firm number on what it would cost to build an all-weather road. We have been working with a joint venture company, stakeholders that utilize this winter road and had looked at a number of options including an all-weather road. I think there were 18 different scenarios that we were looking at as options. They narrowed it down to two or three. We haven’t scoped it all out. An engineering firm has been hired to do some of the early assessments. We certainly will work with them and support them, but I don’t have a firm number at this point. Thank you, Mr...

Mr. Speaker, we certainly will involve our regional staff in our discussions with parks. We will also consult with them as to any prior discussion that may have been held and be able to relay that information to the Member. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the department does have a condition rating of all the highways in the Northwest Territories including Highway No. 5. In our rating, Highway No. 5 has come back as a highway that is safe and reliable. There are some areas that we have included for attention in terms of chipseal. There are two sections is particular that we are looking at. We will certainly take the recommendation from the honourable Member to speak to the parks people and see if we can look at some cost-sharing initiatives. Thank you.