Roger Allen

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I would like to ask a question to the Minister and his officials. Would someone who has self-generation be eligible for a subsidy out of this power subsidy program? That will be my final question to the Minister. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. My comments are specifically related to the $1.127 million increase to the power subsidy program. It concerns me greatly, Mr. Chairman, that the territorial power support program has a significant increase on an annual basis. It comes back to the very point I want to make, and unfortunately there's nowhere in the budget process that we can address this to the NWT Power Corporation. I think it requires us to revisit some of the many contributing factors as this power subsidy program increases at an alarming rate. One of the issues that was raised to me in the last...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question this morning is to the Minister of Resources, Wildlife and Economic Development, and it's in context of my many travels into rural parts of Western Canada and speaking with many of the individuals who would like to come north of 60 to visit our beautiful country. One suggestion they asked me to convey to this Assembly is if the department would consider introducing some form of a gas coupon that they can have once they cross the port of entry at the 60th parallel to see if it would help reduce the cost of their visit to the Territories. I would like to...

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. With all due respect, I understand there are continual increases in costs to provide sustainable power. I guess the emphasis would be in terms of the fiscal strategy, in trying to meet some of the increased costs that are sometimes in the control of the environment. I would like to ask if the power support program would support alternative power sources such as voltaic or solar panelling, solar energy, as a way of mitigating some of the individual's costs, especially in the remote communities where there should be less demand on diesel generation, for instance....

Thank you, Madam Chair. I would strongly suggest that we conclude or continue to review the Department of Finance, and if we conclude in time, that we move on to the report on the Financial Management Board Secretariat. With that, Madam Chair, that is what I would suggest. Thank you.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Briefly, yes. The committee met with the Finance Minister on February 18, 2004, to review the draft 2004-05 main estimates for the Department of Finance.

The department is proposing a $3.167 million decrease in operations expenses from the 2003-04 main estimates. This is primarily due to savings realized from its new self-insurance program and an anticipated reduction in interest expenses for short-term borrowing.

4. Regulating the insurance industry and liquor sales, distribution and consumption to contribute to the well-being of communities and residents.

Members...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

WHEREAS there is requirement for the naming of two Members to hold the positions of deputy chairpersons of Committee of the Whole;

AND WHEREAS it is desirable to appoint two Members;

NOW THEREFORE I MOVE, seconded by the honourable Member for Frame Lake, the honourable Member for Nunakput, Mr. Calvin Pokiak, and the honourable Member for Kam Lake, Mr. David Ramsay, be appointed as deputy chairpersons of the Committee of the Whole.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’m very pleased to hear that the Minister is prepared to work with us in trying to address some of the key questions that are raised consistently by our constituents. Again, it goes back to my statement yesterday about how we want to put people back on the land to become resourceful again. So I’m going to ask the Minister if he’s prepared to work with the Minister of ECE to develop an initiative that would influence people to move back on the land and not only develop land skills, but also to help in the recovery process of many of their social problems that are...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my question today is to the Minister responsible for the NWT Housing Corporation. It is in regard to a proposal submitted last year in regard to flat rent scale rates for public housing tenants of the Northwest Territories. The intent of that proposal is to increase this from pro forma from $2.7 million rent recoveries to $5.4 million, which would be reinvested back into economic housing strategies. I will ask the Minister then, would he provide this housing update of that proposal? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. That concludes the introductory portion of the report of the Standing Committee on Accountability and Oversight. I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Yellowknife Centre, that Committee 1-15(3) be received by the Assembly and moved into Committee of the Whole. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.