Norman Yakeleya

Mr. Speaker, I do apologize for not answering directly to the Member. If the House does wish to pass a motion to have the Auditor General look into our Crown corporation, if it pleases the House.... We have accountants, and we have the Public Utilities Board that scrutinizes very well in terms of our operations. If he does have a motion in the House, that is something we certainly will look at.

As the Member is well aware, this was at one time and possibly still is an issue to be discussed. The corporation has had consultants, has had some experts look at the bonus system. We now have an at-risk pay system for our senior management. We have made a huge reduction in terms of at-risk payments in terms of work to our senior management team. This was brought forward to the Public Utilities Board, which reviewed it and gave the stamp of approval for our operations within the NTPC management.

For me, certainly along with the Ministers’ Energy Coordinating Committee, Members have a role. I look forward to some good discussions with Members of the House in terms of our rate structure, our power and the high costs of our communities. My understanding is that we request the dividends from our Crown corporation, and from there we top up the dividend in terms of the surplus. We requested that from NTPC.

We certainly look forward to having some further discussions in terms of the operations of NTPC and remind the people of the North that the Public Utilities Board scrutinizes every step we...

Mr. Speaker, the question raised by the Member is very good. I'm being notified by the Crown corporation board of directors through the chairperson. The Crown has its own strict guidelines and legislation. When they go before the Public Utilities Board, they file the GRA. However, the Minister is aware and is in contact continuously with the chairperson of NTPC.

Mr. Speaker, if all things go according to plan, we hope that within less than two years we would have our system iron out the kinks, iron out the things we need to have a smooth transition of our new vehicle registration system.

Also, this will allow us some time to have some discussion. I have heard about the two-tier system for some time. I have talked to my deputy about it and asked if it’s possible. Anything is possible in terms of ideas that would enhance our program and certainly enhance the ability of our consumers to reduce some of the carbon emissions in the North here.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The new vehicle system we’re about to implement into the department’s main office here to upgrade our system…. I’ll have to get back to the Member regarding the capabilities in terms of upgrading to a two-tier system.

I hear the Member’s comments on how we could benefit people in the North in terms of carbon emissions and vehicle registration. I will certainly take his comments into consideration and pass that on to the deputy to work with the Member regarding his suggestion as to our vehicle registration system.

Certainly, we have our marching orders from the motion that was passed in this House in terms of looking at the issue the Member’s talking about.

We have worked with the lead Minister, Hon. Bob McLeod, in terms of heading up the Ministers’ Energy Coordinating Committee. We have set down some terms of reference as to how we’re going to carry out our work. We have looked at this with our own Crown corporations in terms of our capital costs and how NWTPC does its capital costs. That will help with looking at the rate issue. We certainly are on our way. We’ll be eagerly waiting to sit with the...

Mr. Speaker, I, too, was at the NWT annual meeting with the municipalities in Fort Simpson. I certainly heard several mayors — specifically the mayors from Norman Wells and Inuvik — talking about the one-rate zone issue.

We have a committee that’s being led by Mr. Bob McLeod in terms of the Ministers’ Energy Coordinating Committee. We’re looking at the motion that was put forward by this Assembly to look at the rate structure and the regulations. We’re looking at options and discussing with committee members what we can do to come to something that is satisfactory to people right across the...

The Member raises a very good point. Our last financial statement books were audited by the Auditor General of Canada. Certainly, if it’s the wish of the House, I would make a request to the board in terms of the Auditor General looking at our books again and looking at specific issues that could be raised, to have some further discussions in terms of our operation in the Crown corporation.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you, Member for Twin Lakes, for reminding me in terms of some of my earlier discussions in the House. The Member is correct, and those ideas are still alive and well. Certainly, I’m very happy the Premier has asked if I would work with the other Members in terms of the energy file. Our committee is looking at the options of: how do we bring the cost of energy down to an acceptable rate for people in our smaller communities, who rely on a good power source in terms of reducing their cost of living?