Jane Groenewegen

  Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As I indicated in my Member’s statement, I think there has been an incredible growth in our public service and I’m sorry to say that I believe that growth has been focused disproportionately in Yellowknife. Our government talks about decentralization, but we don’t really see it happening.

Mr. Speaker, in 1999-2000 budget year, the total budget for compensation and benefits for our public service was $139 million. Today it’s $294 million. Mr. Speaker, I believe, as I said, because the numbers are really hard to compare, I think I can say with some certainty that the...

Thank you. I think the Premier is reiterating some things that have been told to committee, but I do want it on the public record here in the House for the people of the Northwest Territories to hear, as well, and I think if left up to the public service, the initiative of decentralization will not happen. So I think that they need clear political direction from this government, from this Premier, from these Cabinet Ministers that this is a task to be undertaken with all seriousness. We would like to see some progress on this. So I would like to again ask the Premier if he will have...

Thank you. That doesn’t give me a lot of comfort that we put the positions where it makes the most sense to have them located, because once the expansion of the public service occurs and there’s more and more concentration of positions at headquarters, there’s an argument, I suppose, and a rationale that could be made for putting new positions close by the ones that are existing and that situation just continues to feed on itself.

What we need is political will on the part of our leaders to see a fairer distribution of government resources, including positions. So whether it be individual...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My Member’s statement says that I love Yellowknife, but let’s dial that back a little bit. I like Yellowknife. Yellowknife is a great place to visit, but as the Member for Hay River South I don’t begrudge government headquarters. We need to have a capital somewhere and the amenities, attractions and jobs that that brings to our capital. What bothers me is that we have not managed to put more government jobs in other communities.

All Members of this Assembly, including those from Yellowknife, agreed last fall to “increase employment opportunities where they are most...

Does the committee agree that Bill 3, An Act to Amend the Human Rights Act, is now ready for third reading?

I’d like to call Committee of the Whole to order. Colleagues, we had the items before the committee just read by the Speaker. I would like to ask what is the wish of the committee. Mr. Hawkins.

Question is being called. Motion is carried.

---Carried

Thank you. Bill 3, An Act to Amend the Human Rights Act. Clause 1.

---Clauses 1 to 3 inclusive approved

Thank you very much for agreeing to have that on the agenda. In lead up to that discussion, would it be possible to do some research to see what kind of tax, by way of duty, the federal government, in fact, walked away from or left on the table by increasing the duty-free limits? In preparation for that it would be a good argument, I believe, to be made, that this is the least they could do, given what they have just given southern Canadians. Thank you.

A motion is on the floor. To the motion. Ms. Bisaro.