David Ramsay

Thank you, Mr. Pokiak. The motion is in order. To the motion. Ms. Lee.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. One last question and it gets back to the fact that aboriginal governments are settling land claims in the Northwest Territories. They are proceeding through implementation of these claims. Mr. Speaker, you would think that the size of the public service for the Government of the Northwest Territories would be going down, not going up. I would like to ask the Minister specifically, and this is a specific question specifically on aboriginal self-government, what has the government done in the past four years that would show that it’s concerned at all about the impact...

Thank you, Mr. Pokiak. To the motion.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I thank the Minister for that. So I guess that’s an admission that for the past four years, we have just plodded along plugging positions in, reacting to certain things without a plan. That’s why we continue, like I said, through budget after budget, supp after supp, to approve new positions, because we do not have a plan and somebody on that side is responsible. Cabinet is responsible for the fact of the matter and that is we don’t have a plan. I would like to ask the Minister responsible for HR why there has been no work done specifically in the area of self...

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. Mr. Lafferty. To the motion.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am going to speak today about the future of our government’s operations. I have spoken previously in this House about the GNWT’s lack of a comprehensive human resource plan or strategy. I believe strongly that, as a government, we need to address the growth and direction of our public service. For the past four years, I have witnessed a steady stream of knee-jerk reactions and ill-conceived position growth. Sure, we are expanding our workforce in the area of health care, teachers and social workers, but that does not explain the growth over a seven-year period of...

Before any agreement is entered into, please let the Members of the Legislative Assembly of the Northwest Territories know what you are doing. Mahsi.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. The motion is to report progress. The motion is not debatable. All those in favour? All those opposed? The motion is carried.

---Carried

Thank you, committee. I will now rise and report progress. Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, if I could, some of my colleagues seem to think money does grow on trees here in the Northwest Territories. Mr. Speaker, it doesn’t. We have scarce resources. The Premier negotiates a new formula financing agreement and the first thing he does is run out and try to find a project to spend $2 million plus a year on. How is that being fiscally responsible? I stand here before my colleagues and I am trying my best and I ran on a platform of being fiscally responsible and it means something to me. It does. I am not going to give carte blanche to a project where I don’t know what the...

Question has been called. All those in favour? All those opposed? The motion is carried.

---Carried

Thank you, committee. Does the committee agree that consideration of Committee Report 3-15(6) is concluded?