Some Nunavut MLAs tried to short-circuit the territory's proposed ban on incandescent light bulbs Monday.

They charge that replacing the old-fashioned bulbs with compact flourescent bulbs would not do much to cut energy consumption and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

"I consider that to be a good publicity stunt, that we would be reducing our contribution in terms of national average," Rankin Inlet North MLA Tagak Curley said. "When we do compare our national average, it's really insignificant."

But in the end, legislators voted to keep the idea switched on. In a vote, 13 of the 18 MLAs present voted to support Bill 13, the Nunavut energy efficiency act. The bill will now go to the legislative standing committee for public consultations.

Curley and Tunnuniq MLA James Arvaluk voted against the bill. Abstaining were Arviat MLA David Alagalak, Kugluktuk MLA Joe Allen Evyagotailak and Quttiktuq MLA Levi Barnabas.

Energy Minister Ed Picco announced in March that he would introduce the legislation, which would be implemented over three years starting July 1, 2008, if passed. The ban would replace about 30,000 incandescent bulbs in homes and businesses across the territory with energy-efficient compact fluorescent bulbs.

Federal ban on bulbs in 2012

On Monday, Curley raised other concerns about the bill, saying he doesn't believe the new energy-efficient bulbs work well in cold temperatures.

He added that Nunavut's ban is unnecessary in light of federal Natural Resources Minister Gary Lunn's announcement in April that Ottawa will ban the sale of incandescent bulbs by 2012.

"I believe that we are rushing into this," Curley said, calling the bill's introduction "untimely.

"The federal government has direct plans to introduce legislation to that effect… it would be well that we not proceed with this legislation."

But Picco said the federal legislation is still in the planning stages, and may not even be introduced if a federal election takes place anytime soon. He defended the proposed ban, saying it would lead to cost savings for the government and power consumers.

"There are compact fluorescent light bulbs or CFLs that work in the cold," he said. "That technology's already been tested, it's been used in Alaska, it's been used in Greenland."

Picco said there are a lot of misunderstandings about Bill 13 that he hopes will be cleared up during the standing committee's review.