Floyd Roland

Mr. Speaker, I know early on that notifications went out to potentially affected employees and that there were some issues about the retirement options. I’ve even heard of an example up in my community. I would say, through that process, that we should be willing to look at that. We should be flexible enough in our environment to do that. I think, as we proceed with this and have further discussion, that is being considered at this point. We have tools — for example, direct appointments. If we have somebody who wants to retire and they have somebody who’s in line with them — they’re ready to...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. There are a number of initiatives we can undertake and are planning to undertake in the area of energy — the cost of energy and fuel costs in the Northwest Territories. We have some existing programs in place; for example, the Territorial Power Support Program. The Member is accurate when he talks about the increased costs. We have to keep growing that fund through our forced-growth initiatives. The price of oil going up as it is, as fast as it is, continues to have an impact on us. As we’re all aware, the Power Corporation has just got its last rate application...

Mr. Speaker, the fact that we’ve had the impact of reductions in personnel…. I’ve said on a number of occasions in this House, in the media — and I know Members were not happy with that, even when I said it at that time — there would be some impact there. When half of your budget deals with compensation and benefits of your workforce, and even if you reduced just program areas, there are people attached to those programs and delivery of them; so there was that impact. We’ve minimized that as much as possible. In fact, some of those who are affected have been contacted for potential...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Introduction

I am pleased to present the first budget of the 16th Legislative Assembly. We are at an important crossroads in the Northwest Territories. Times are relatively good. We continue to have the highest gross domestic product per capita in the country, and the highest average income in the country.

At the end of last year, a third world-class diamond mine went into production in the Northwest Territories. At full operation, our diamond industry will produce 15 per cent of the world’s diamonds.

For a territory of only 43,000 people, those are some great achievements...

Mr. Speaker, with the package we’ve met so far, there are a couple of things we have to consider. I mentioned earlier in my Budget Address the sunsetting of programs. Those were already on the list to be ended. Whether a department came forward for three-year money or one-year money or it was federal transfers that only lasted a couple of years, sunsetted money meant those programs were to end on that year. So we’ve had about $30 million of those sunsetted dollars identified in this budget. We’ve had a further $35 million, if I don’t have my numbers reversed, in meeting our reduction targets...

We would be willing to do that. We’re aware, for example, that the Food Mail Program affects quite a number of other jurisdictions in high-cost areas, and we’re going to plug into that to see how it works, to see if they’re feeling the same impact or have the same concerns we have. So we would be prepared to look at that type of initiative, yes.

There’s the overall hydro initiative across the Northwest Territories and trying to bring that to either investment or industry, as well as communities. The three mini-hydro projects, we’re looking at continuing investment in this year to see if they can be put in place. For example, Lutselk’e was a community that has been identified in that area. We’re looking to continue that work in this upcoming year.

The bigger picture, as the Members have said earlier, is correct. Some of these large initiatives are going to take quite a number of years for ourselves as government. We’re going to have to...

Let’s look at the facts. The record would speak for itself. The Members of this Assembly, and the Member himself, has talked about the fact that the government has grown substantially. It has grown too big. We can pull that out of Hansard. When we target these areas for reduction, and there’s unfortunately some impact there on individuals in jobs and positions, now it’s “Don’t do it.” And if you’re going to have to do it, notify them early. So we did that, but we did it wrong, so — no good. I don’t know what environment I’m in.

We’ve listened to Members. The Member himself raised the issue of a...

I give notice that on Monday, May 26, 2008, I will move that Bill 8, Appropriation Act, 2008–2009, be read for the first time.

Mr. Speaker, what we’ve done in the strategic initiatives is work from the goals and the visions and priorities set by this Legislative Assembly. We can align those and show what area is used in an important piece of investment. Early childhood: is that an investment we should make? Are the Members trying to say that’s not an area? The increased investment we’re putting into health care and social services in the Northwest Territories: is that something we shouldn’t invest in? We can align those with the vision and goals.

Now, some of the strategic initiatives, yes, have been driven by a number...