Robert Villeneuve

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I guess my next question would be with the development of the negotiations or how they’re proceeding. I know they’ve been going on here for the last year or so, and there doesn’t seem to be any tangible results coming out of the work that’s being done. Given the rising energy costs, it would seem more attractive to the mines that they would hook up into something that would be beneficial both environmentally and on the revenue side for them. I just want to ask the Premier if he would be willing to get his team, the deputy minister and these four other individuals, to...

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my question is also directed to our honourable Premier, Joe Handley, in regards to the Taltson expansion project. I know the government has recently approved something to the tune of $1.4 million toward the environmental and geotechnical work that the Taltson expansion project is to undergo. I just want to ask the Minister, I guess, from his last dealings with industry with respect to getting them to hook into this Taltson expansion project, what is the status of those current negotiations today, and where does the government stand on that issue? Thank you, Mr...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It is good to hear that the mines are very interested. I guess I just wanted to point out in this review of electrical generation transmission and distribution in the NWT that came out in 2000, that there are things in this report that point to a lot of economic viability options of why we should convert to electrical and hydro generation here in the NWT on all fronts. I don't know if we should do any more review on this front, because it seems to be a pretty comprehensive report that has been developed by this government.

I just want to ask the Premier, as far as...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I guess, just from looking at the mines’ bottom line, we have a lot of room to play here. I was just wondering if the Premier could let me know, and maybe let the House know, who is on this negotiating team, and if this team has anybody representing the Akaitcho Territory and the South Slave Metis and Lutselk’e and Deninu Kue First Nations. Is there anybody on that negotiating team, along with the Power Corporation, to negotiate with the mines? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to speak about the important Taltson hydro expansion project this government is working to develop over the next few years. Mr. Speaker, I cannot express the important significance of this initiative enough. Not only does it affect the residents of Tu Nedhe, the people of the Northwest Territories, but also all of Canada because of the potential positive impacts to our environment if addressed with some degree of urgency by this government.

Mr. Speaker, currently there are three mines -- Diavik, BHP and De Beers --operating in the Tu Nedhe area....

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you, Mr. Premier, for that. I guess the proposal that this House will be debating, are we going to bring that proposal forward any time soon and get the debate over and done with so that communities can access these Northern Strategy dollars? Thank you.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, on September 15, 2005, I attended a graduation ceremony held in Deninu Kue to acknowledge the hard work and dedication of three students of Deninu school. Mr. Speaker, I again would like to take this time to congratulate Chantelle Beck, Raddanz Hunter, and Vanessa Sanderson for their significant achievements in reaching this important milestone. It was truly with great pleasure to have been part of such a wonderful celebration of local achievement.

Mr. Speaker, I also want to congratulate Don Catholique of Lutselk’e who graduated from Joseph Burr Tyrell High...

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I’m confused a little bit here. The Minister is telling us this amendment only applies to municipal taxation authorities, yet the amendment applies to the Charter Communities Act and the Hamlets Act and the municipalities act. As far as I’m concerned, that includes all the communities of the NWT. I just don’t see. Are the MTAs only under the municipal taxation act? These amendments go right across the board to the Charter Communities Act and the Hamlets Act. Why is it that these amendments are only applicable, I guess, to the MTAs? Why do we have these other...

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I just have a quick question on this enabling community governments to transfer charges for unpaid municipal services to properties. Maybe the Minister could just give me some clarification on how that would work or how this would enable communities to transfer charges for community services for squatters, for instance. Would this apply the same as the PATA act applies today as far as municipal property taxes in all the NWT communities that have squatters? Is this any different from what we have in place today?

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I just have a quick question on the stabilization fund, also. Just getting back to what the Minister was saying that communities are going to start paying 100 percent of what the actual product is to deliver to the communities, the stabilization fund that offsets projected losses and is not offset by revenue…It’s to offset any changes to the cost in the communities. How would that happen in the first place? If you buy a product and you ship it to the communities and you put a price on it that’s going to recover the cost or hopefully most of it, how would the price...