Julie Green

Thank you for that commitment. I urge you to make good your promises for collaboration and open government by consulting people in whatever manner is feasible within the time that is available. This is a very significant change in direction for the NWT and I think that people will want to have their say on it. Further to your fiscal statement today, as you know, government jobs are very valuable jobs, especially in the small communities. I'm wondering whether you have done any analysis of the impact of the loss of jobs at the local level and that you'd be able to share with us?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions are for the Minister of Finance. Today the Minister of Finance in his update is asking us to consider a 10 per cent cut in the territorial budget in the order of $150 million. Yesterday, in the Opening Address, the government said they want people to see collaboration and collective decision-making aimed at addressing pressing challenges together, so with those two things in mind, I would like to ask the Minister of Finance what the plan is for consulting the public about the next budget.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. They recognized their fiscal situation was not temporary and that before setting a direction that would be long-term, they would ask the citizens their views. They are asking citizens to identify a combination of measures to increase revenues, reduce expenditures, eliminate waste, and establish fiscal targets. Citizens have many choices for participation. They can comment on a discussion document, attend public discussion sessions and town hall meetings, host their own meetings, and make submissions online. In order to focus their comments, residents were asked to comment...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I'm looking for a commitment from the Minister of Finance to follow evidence-based decision making in developing his budget. That would mean not only looking at the fiscal benefits of investing in infrastructure, but also in the potential problems of cuts, not only to the people who are working now, but to the possibility that they may also leave the territory and take their share of the Territorial Formula Financing funding with them. My question to the Minister is: Will he commit to evidence-based decision-making in this budgetary process?

Mr. Speaker, I don't think that hoping the public will give their input into the budget process is a very systematic response to the scale of change that the government is planning to make. Therefore, I would like to hear that the government is going to attempt some consultation on the budget in the next few weeks, whether that means visiting communities, having an online tool available, or putting ads in the paper, that there is a mechanism for people to respond to the big changes that are coming their way.

 Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to deal with the motion I gave notice of earlier today.

My final question for the Minister is whether the government is prepared to increase the level of clinical support available to people whose mental health and addictions have made them homeless? That's the staff to go with the housing piece.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I was delighted to hear in the opening address that the government wants to create solutions to address homelessness, so my questions today are for the Minister responsible for Homelessness. Does the Minister support Housing First as a solution to chronic homelessness in Yellowknife?

Mahsi. This explanation as simplistic, but the solution is simple because it provides a direct response to a well-documented problem. The good news is that the community advisory board on homelessness in Yellowknife is developing a plan to implement Housing First. There is a group of dedicated people who want to make this program work. The challenge is that the money available for this program is inadequate for the number of clients who need it. I will have questions today for the Minister responsible for Housing about how the territorial government can assist in setting up Housing First in...

WHEREAS Section 46(1) of the Legislative Assembly and Executive Council Act requires that the Legislative Assembly shall elect a Deputy Speaker;

AND WHEREAS the Legislative Assembly wishes to appoint a Deputy Speaker;

NOW THEREFORE I MOVE, seconded by the honourable Member for Great Slave, that the honourable Member for Hay River North, Mr. R.J. Simpson, be appointed as Deputy Speaker. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.