Kieron Testart

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I move that this Assembly recommends that the Department of Finance, after consultation with the Information and Privacy Commissioner for the Northwest Territories, reconsider amending the nonconsolidated schedule of bad debt write-offs, forgiveness, and student loan remissions to protect the privacy of individuals by removing the names of those who have received student loan remissions and reporting only the amounts of those remissions. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in our mandate, Commitment 1.4.6 says that this government will support net metering through clear policy direction to the Public Utilities Board to provide certainty to allow customers to recover their investments in renewable energy. This is a responsibility of the Premier, and I would like to ask the Premier today if he can advise if, in fact, clear policy direction has been provided to the Public Utilities Board and what the nature of this policy direction has been. Thank you.

Mr. Chair, I move that this Assembly recommends that the Minister of Finance work with the Minister responsible for Public Engagement and Transparency to develop plain-language materials that summarize the public accounts for a given year in a manner that is understandable for an interested nonprofessional reader focusing on the key financial highlights and significant audit issues arising for that year. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Chair, and I suppose that is a conversation as if and when it happens. I do know that discussion over the future of MTS is still a conversation that we have yet to have, but it's not the right place to have it here. All I will say is that I thank the Minister for clarifying this budget line item and taking the necessary steps to remove it and pay for the Syncrolift facility from the revolving fund, which is appropriate based on the establishment of that revolving fund. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chair, and thank you to the Minister for that response. I'm glad to see this is a timing error. It's important we follow through where financial authority is granted and where it flows from. My further question is: how much money is currently in the MTS revolving fund? Thank you.

Yes, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I move that consideration of Tabled Document 2-18(3) Supplementary Estimates (Operations Expenditures), No. 3, 2017-2018, be now concluded and that Tabled Document 2-18(3) be reported and recommended as ready for further consideration in formal session through the form of an appropriation bill. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Over the last seven years, it would appear that Northland's rates have gone down by 1.8 per cent, and NTPC's have skyrocketed at 48 per cent, and we're still looking at an increase. Maybe it's a smaller increase. Perhaps the board could have been paid less or given less resources. The Minister has said he's working on governance. He's also talking about a 20-year strategic plan. When is the governance review going to be complete, and when is that plan going to come forward? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I was looking for something a bit bolder than kind of boilerplate strategic goals like that. Clean energy is a demanding task in the Northwest Territories. It's going to take time and effort, and I think the board of directors is key in this role. This report also goes on to state that "best practices dictate that to be effective, directors must approach their work objectively and with decision-making independence. This independence helps establish a board's credibility and supports sound governance and effective accountability. For these reasons, corporate governance best practices require...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I move that the chair rise and report progress.