Robert Bouchard

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It’s another session, so I need to bring up the other big issue in Hay River: dredging.

For three and a half years, I have been the MLA for Hay River North, and every session I’ve opened up talking about dredging. I am concerned this is going to create an economic shutdown of Hay River. We are the hub of the Northwest Territories. Because of the drought situation, we are seeing levels right now, in May, levels that are in September or August. That water level is down two feet. We have shipping issues; we have the Canadian Coast Guard having difficulty getting their boat...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In follow-up to my questions about the cost savings, has the Power Corporation put into the calculation the amount that it would cost to purchase the assets? I think there is $12 million on the books, but I think there has to be a premium if we’re taking a hostile takeover. Have we calculated that into the cost savings?

I’m just wondering if the Minister can indicate to me – obviously they have done an assessment and believe there can be a cost savings – have they done any assessment on what they expect that savings to be if they were to get it? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to recognize a few Hay River residents who were distinguished Education Hall of Famers, as well, Ms. Camsell and Mr. Green. Mr. Green taught me Grade 10 biology and I didn’t have the stomach to go on dissecting frogs, but he’s also a wrestling coach. He helps out in the community quite a bit, and Mrs. Groenewegen talked about he’s involved in morel mushrooms now.

I’d also like to recognize Ted Blondin, an alumni from U of L who I went to school with. Thank you very much.

Along the lines of the Power Corporation and NUL competing against each other, has the Power Corporation looked at other jurisdictions where there is a Crown corporation and privately owned companies that compete and operate amongst each other and other utilities? I know there are some power and some phones, but just to know how they operation and how do we operate here compared to other jurisdictions. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In a follow-up to my statement, I have some questions for the Minister responsible for the Power Corporation. Obviously, he has indicated the Power Corporation will be bidding on the Hay River franchise.

Can I get an evaluation of what the Power Corporation did in order to decide that they were going to bid? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to talk about the energy process, as well, and I support the Town of Hay River’s call for an RFP in the process. I’m the MLA for Hay River North. I represent Hay River. The town council has the option to go out for bid for process. I support that. The town council voted unanimously to go into that process and I support their look to government to bid from the Power Corporation.

I understand NUL is a northern company, Aboriginally owned, and they’re a Hay River company, a long-standing Hay River company. That’s the difficulty. But the people of Hay River have...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My example of the plow truck is only one of many that I could bring up in this House. My next question is for the Minister of ITI responsible for BIP manufacturing and BIP.

My question is: With communication that we’ve had before these tenders for the plow truck went out, about the concern, about the value-added in the Northwest Territories, how can the Department of ITI improve this system? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Moses. To the motion.

I guess the manufacturing policy, if there’s a 25 percent value-added is the indication, and the information I’ve been given is that the value of this tender was 70 percent of manufacturing and the truck was only 30 percent of the cost.

The department has bought plow trucks from a northern manufacturer before. How does this company not get on a manufacturing list? How does the Department of Transportation not support northern manufacturing?