Michael Miltenberger

If the Member will think back, we started on an emergency basis where the running out of natural gas in Inuvik was declared imminent, that there was a need to minimize the load and pressure on the existing gas reserves. That work was done, recognizing that synthetic natural gas was the short-term emergency option. That work was done. In the meantime, the market in the development of liquid natural gas has proceeded in Canada where that type of resource was available. We recognize at the same time, as we move across to the Northwest Territories with our alternative energy, that there is...

The Member has made a harsh condemnation of the House and, by extension, the Legislature. He’s made some sweeping, universal condemnation of this government and the position we take on the balance, the priorities of the 17th Legislative Assembly, the balance between protecting the environment and at the same time balancing that with the need to be able to look at having an economy that is resource-based in this case.

We are doing that. When you look at the work we’re doing across the board as a government on water, on the tools devolution will give us, when you look at the work we’re doing on...

That is what is anticipated, yes.

Mr. Speaker, I think we should make the distinction between the two applications, the MGM Energy one and the ConocoPhillips one. The ConocoPhillips application is very comprehensive. It covers a whole host of areas, which is one of the reasons there was a different decision made by the Sahtu Land and Water Board when they looked at the MGM Energy proposal. It didn’t have the same depth and level of comprehensiveness as the ConocoPhillips one does.

The Department of Energy, Mines and Resources has coordinated a response to the Government of the Northwest Territories and there has been review by...

Mr. Chair, the money will be flowing once the deal is officially signed, sometime in the coming weeks. After that point all the money will flow. Thank you.

The single biggest operation cost is going to be the crew compensation for the extended season in the neighborhood of almost $433,000. We have fuel for the ferry and the backhoe at $182,000, and we have shop supplies and mechanical/electrical at $187,000. We have ice removal from the hull done twice at $40,000. We have props and shafts at $20,000. Wood chips for the deck are $20,000. If you add it all up, it comes to the cost of $1.37 million.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. We did have the foresight to anticipate this broad cost, the global figure of almost $27 million. We’ve been on a one-of-a-kind process here that we’ve been negotiating with the federal government. There’s been an enormous amount of work done. Some things didn’t move as fast as we anticipated with the negotiations. We are now, as was indicated today in the House by the Premier when he indicated we’re giving notice of motion that we’re going to have the motion on devolution with the agreement before the House, so this is a one-time occurrence and it’s been moved as fast...

Mr. Speaker, I wish to table the following document, titled “Natural Resources Conservation Trust Fund Annual Report 2012-2013.” Thank you.

I would suggest that if folks are interested, businesses are interested, that they look to the subsidies and grants that are available to start up and assist with alternative energy infrastructure; solar, biomass and that type of thing. Those have been increased; the amount of money has been raised; the ceilings have been raised so that the level of support, and I believe where it was $25,000 is up to $50,000. So if they’re just wanting to get started today and they want to think about it, then they’ve got to do their plan and they’ve got to buy the infrastructure and I think that would be the...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. That review is pretty well done. We’re migrating from net billing to net metering. That work is underway. We’re going through the process. We anticipate that by this fall we will be ready to move to go to the PUB and such. We, as well, have a briefing scheduled next week with committee to update them on the status of this particular initiative.