At a candidates debate for Kam Lake on Tuesday, all MLA hopefuls agreed: the cost of living is too high, and itSA国际影视传媒檚 largely driven by skyrocketing power bills.
But of the six candidates SA国际影视传媒� Kieron Testart, Robert Hawkins, Abdullah Al-Mahamud, Caitlin Cleveland, Cherish Winsor and Rommel Silverio SA国际影视传媒� who spoke to a packed crowd at N.J. MacPherson School, not all shared the same views on how to reign in power rates for Yellowknifers.
Robert Hawkins, a Kam Lake candidate and former MLA seeking to regain a seat in the assembly, and incumbent Kieron Testart sparred over the right solutions for the capital SA国际影视传媒� and the territory at large SA国际影视传媒� when it comes to power costs, after being asked whether or not the city should end its franchise agreement with power supplier Northland Utilities in a bid to lower the cost of living.
The suggestion has been discussed by some in other electoral districts, and the subsequent discussion centred largely on Hay River, a town that recently severed its ties with the power company after a decades-long relationship.
SA国际影视传媒淲e need competition,SA国际影视传媒� said Hawkins, who called power bills in the city SA国际影视传媒渙utrageous.SA国际影视传媒�
The former MLA stressed heSA国际影视传媒檚 not against Northland Utilities, calling the company a SA国际影视传媒済ood corporate citizen.SA国际影视传媒�
But Hawkins SA国际影视传媒� noting Hay River residents were paying power rates that were far too expensive before the breakup SA国际影视传媒� said the NWT Power Corporation, which is a public entity that currently sells power to Northland, should be allowed to compete with the private power company in Yellowknife.
SA国际影视传媒�(Northland Utilities) has a monopoly. If we donSA国际影视传媒檛 open up the door to the franchise agreement process for the NWT Power Corporation, Northland Utilities will put in the same bid over and over,SA国际影视传媒� said Hawkins.
If not, he said, prices will increase year by year, SA国际影视传媒渨ithout justification.SA国际影视传媒�
SA国际影视传媒淭his is not crazy thinking. This is about opening up competition so we can help working families survive,SA国际影视传媒� continued Hawkins. SA国际影视传媒淲e need fair competition and if (either side wins) they win, because theySA国际影视传媒檝e been competitive,SA国际影视传媒� he added, saying the process will better serve Northerners.
In 2016, Hay River councillors voted to end the townSA国际影视传媒檚 agreement with Northland Utilities, passing the power pact along to the government-owned NWT Power Corporation, a move that led to arbitration, and then an SA国际影视传媒� ongoing SA国际影视传媒� civil case.
SA国际影视传媒淚 donSA国际影视传媒檛 think high rates of power are driven by a private monopoly,SA国际影视传媒� countered Testart during the debate, who joined Hawkins in not supporting the elimination of Northland. SA国际影视传媒淭hey're driven by a public monopoly through NTPC, which generates the power."
"Northland buys the power from NTPC and has to pass on that purchase price to consumers,SA国际影视传媒� said Testart, adding itSA国际影视传媒檚 a SA国际影视传媒渃omplicatedSA国际影视传媒� issue.
To take pressure off of rate fares, the incumbent said thereSA国际影视传媒檚 a need to expand power to markets outside of the territory.
SA国际影视传媒淚tSA国际影视传媒檚 a systemic problem and it lies within the power of the corporation itself,SA国际影视传媒� said Testart.
SA国际影视传媒淎t the end of the day,SA国际影视传媒� replied Hawkins, SA国际影视传媒渢he monopoly is still in control of the power. Why did NTPC outfit (Hay River)? Because they can provide the same service, cheaper,SA国际影视传媒� said Hawkins.
All of the candidates seemed to be in agreement on one thing when it came to reducing energy costs: if energy infrastructure increases, prices will go down.
