Michael McLeod

Mr. Speaker, the system in Tulita was designed and put in place at the time when this type of filtration system, this type of plant, was only available from the United States. We have been working with the community to look at what backups are required. The old plant is still there and we do also have a portable water pump in the event of both plants going down. We are discussing with the community on a plan to carry some backup material, filters and equipment, so that we can avoid the situation in the future. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to present a petition dealing with the matter of specialists surgical services located in Inuvik Hospital. Mr. Speaker, this petition contains 794 signatures of Beaufort-Delta residents and, Mr. Speaker, the petitioners request that the Minister of Health and Social Services confirm through a ministerial directive stating that the Beaufort-Delta Health and Social Services Authority has the authority to staff specialists who are necessary for surgical service and salary and benefit level for a specialist, including general practitioners with special...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The community of Tulita has encountered some problems with the water treatment plant in the area of the filter clogging up. The community does not have a backup filter for this plant. However, it does still have the use of the old water plant that was left in place as the backup and the community is utilizing that facility. It does not have the filtration system that the new guidelines require. That’s why the community has issued the boil water warning. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and thanks to the Minister for that. I’d like to ask the Minister if he’d communicate to the regional board the concerns of the frontline providers and the importance of having that good working relationship with these frontline workers. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, yes, we will commit to doing that. We will have a discussion with Public Works and talk to the communities and see what some areas that may be requiring parts or filters that we should keep in the communities so we can avoid the situation. We will commit to doing that with all the communities in the Territories. Thank you.

That was a long way to say no. Mr. Speaker, initially they did live in the Northwest Territories, but they no longer live in the Northwest Territories. The point I am trying to make is people who live in the Northwest Territories should be the people who are sitting on this board. So I would like to ask the Minister if he would introduce an amendment to the act that requires members of the board to be current residents of the Northwest Territories. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my questions today are for the Minister of the Public Utilities Board, Mr. McLeod. I’d like to ask the Minister if there’s any residency requirements to sit on the Public Utilities Board according to the act? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I appreciate the Minister’s answer. I believe that expertise could also be found in the Northwest Territories amongst its current residents. Do we go down south and go to one of the legislative assemblies down there and look for two new Ministers? I don’t think so. I would like to ask the Minister if…There was no notice given to the residents that this increase was coming. March 29th they were told as of April 1st that they would be getting an increase from 1.33 cents to 5.14. Now, for an increase that large should have been, a hearing should be held. I am...

Mr. Chairman, the…

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, first of all I guess I should point out that all our members that are on the Public Utilities Board, we have five members, all initially were appointed when they were all members of the Northwest Territories, they were all residents of the Northwest Territories. We have now, I believe, two members that no longer reside in the Northwest Territories, but we have the other three people who are from the Northwest Territories. Two recent appointments; one from the Mackenzie Delta and, more recently, one from Fort Smith. Mr. Speaker, I don’t believe there is a...