Question re:    First Nations/government relations 

Mr. Silver:    Mr. Speaker, last fall the Premier cancelled a scheduled meeting of the Yukon Forum on very short notice. Chiefs from around the territory had already travelled into Whitehorse for the meeting, only to be informed that the Premier would not be meeting with them. This is an example of the government’s frayed relationship with Yukon First Nations.

This week, the government announced plans to meet more often with Yukon First Nation leaders. The Premier deemed this revelation worthy enough to issue a press release confirming that more meetings would be planned. The Grand Chief of the Council of Yukon First Nations does not, however, share the Premier’s excitement. She told local media, and I quote: “…it’s the government’s feeling that we shouldn’t have to sit down and rehash issues, but we should be able to celebrate at the Yukon Forum. If we’re going to celebrate anything, the legwork has to be done…”

Why is this government dictating when it will meet and what will be on the forum agenda?

Question re:    Electrical rate stabilization fund

Mr. Silver:    Earlier this week, I asked the minister responsible for energy about the new hydro projects. He didn’t want to talk about the new projects. After 10 years in office, the Yukon Party has no new hydro projects on the table ready to go. He did want to talk about rising energy rates inYukon. I welcome this conversation. We know that power rates will be increasing by close to 12 percent under this minister’s watch as a result of recent Yukon Utilities Board hearings. The interim electrical rebate provides residential customers with a maximum rebate of $26.62 per month for the first 1,000 kilowatt hours of power used. It is automatically applied to residential power bills.

The Yukon Party government rebate has been in place since 2009 and has been renewed annually in the last number of years. Given the recent 12-percent increase in bills, the need for this rebate is greater than ever. What is the future of this rebate? Will it go beyond March 31, 2014?

Question re:  Shakwak project

Mr. Silver:    I have a question for the Minister of Highways and Public Works about the future of the Shakwak project. Since the 1970s the United States government has been providing funding to upgrade the highway from Haines, Alaska, to Beaver Creek. Over the years the funding provided for construction that has totalled more than $400 million. In 2011, Shakwak accounted for approximately 40 percent of our entire highway construction budget. In 2011 it was $20 million, and in this year’s budget it is $17.5 million. The problem is the funding for the project for future years has been cut off in the United States. What is the minister doing to get the United States government to continue funding this important project?

Question re:  Energy supply and demand

Mr. Silver:    Mr. Speaker, we have had many discussions this spring about the government’s failure to plan for an energy cliff that Yukon is about to go over. Demand is rising when our supply can’t keep up. This lack of planning has left the government scrambling to keep up and has resulted in Yukoners paying higher electricity bills. The government is now moving ahead with plans to burn natural gas to try and address this problem. It’s better than diesel, but it’s certainly not a green fuel. A lack of planning has left us with no other options. The minister told this House a short time ago, “We do have a commitment to continue to pursue the development of hydro projects.” This is something we can support, Mr. Speaker.

Other than the project in Skagway that we’ve already discussed and is years away, what hydro project is the government pursuing and when might it be ready?

Question re:  F.H. Collins Secondary School reconstruction

Mr. Silver:    Mr. Speaker, I have some questions for the Minister of Highways and Public Works on some contracts related to F.H. Collins.

When the Premier announced he was pulling the plug on the old design of F.H. Collins, he said the approved construction budget, as detailed by two separate independent estimators, was $38.6 million. On the second day of this sitting, back on March 25, I asked the Premier to release those estimates so that the public could see whether or not they did, in fact, match the construction budget. He refused to answer.

Almost six weeks later, the government is still refusing to release those independent estimates. It is my understanding that these contracts were led by Highways and Public Works. Will the minister release these estimates so that the public can see whether or not they did, in fact, match the construction budget?