Thebacha

Statements in Debates

Debates of , 16th Assembly, 3rd Session (day 13)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d just like to point out initially that what was played in terms of my first comments this morning were from October 2008, followed at some point later by an interview with myself in Whitehorse. So that may have caused some of the concern for the Member for Great Slave.

The issue of board reform has been identified as a priority of the 16th Legislative Assembly. It has been worked on for over a decade. The social programs area was one that was determined to be, in our opinion, significantly over-governed with 70 boards for health and social services, education, and...

Debates of , 16th Assembly, 3rd Session (day 13)

Mr. Speaker, the intent is to facilitate the things we’ve been talking about in this House with case planning, the ability to better coordinate the decision-making, to thin out the financial admin overhead in the governance, to put as much money possible at the program level recognizing that we are always going to be challenged with more needs than our resources. It’s for those reasons that we believe that this board reform will, if done right, improve how services are delivered at the community level. Thank you.

Debates of , 16th Assembly, 3rd Session (day 13)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. There are seven weeks left. I have asked them to lay out all the work that we’re going to conclude, the consultations that we’re going to try to undertake in the next seven weeks, taking into consideration as well that we’re going to be in this House until March 13th. We recognize very clearly going forward after April the next phase, once we decide on how we move forward, that there’s going to be more consultation required, probably broader consultation once we get things clarified in terms of general direction.

Debates of , 16th Assembly, 3rd Session (day 6)

Mr. Speaker, once this budget is passed, we will be in a position to look at how we’re going to move forward. We’ve identified in the budget address some examples. It wasn’t a comprehensive detailing of every expenditure in the main estimates. We also recognize that what Deline is proposing is by many standards new technology that’s being developed and in some cases not necessarily proven out for the rigors of use in the North in the river of the size being proposed.

There is a clear interest on the part of the government to look at all the small communities. I said that in the budget address...

Debates of , 16th Assembly, 3rd Session (day 6)

Mr. Speaker, the intent was to reference our commitment as a government as a Legislature to alternate energy in the mini-hydro and other alternate uses of energy. We’ve identified Whati and Lutselk’e as communities that there is work that is quite a ways along. We recognize that there are others on the list to come, including Deline and the arrangements that could be made. I talked to the Member about Tulita. So the first focus in the budget reference was some of the ones that were further along in terms of the planning. Thank you.

Debates of , 16th Assembly, 3rd Session (day 6)

I’d venture to say that everybody with a computer terminal or a radio or a TV or whatever other means have it tuned into the House. They are watching with great anticipation and bated breath.

We are existing in the worst economic downturn since, they say, the Great Depression. Job numbers today and on the news were 129,000 Canadians lost their jobs in January; 600,000 in the States. Conditions continue to worsen.

Yesterday we tabled a $1.3 billion budget that was a result of months of collective work together; surely a testament to one of the big things that we can do together. But we stand...

Debates of , 16th Assembly, 3rd Session (day 6)

Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the Member’s interest and concern. As I’ve indicated, this fund is a brand new fund. Should the budget pass, then we would be in the position to lay out the work plan. The hope is that it’s going to extend past four years. We want to get things on the ground that are far enough along in the planning as we move forward in consultation with communities and with committees and if you look at the next phase of the business planning process, there will be an opportunity to address this plan to reflect all the priorities of this Assembly.

Debates of , 16th Assembly, 3rd Session (day 6)

Mr. Speaker, the fund, $60 million over four years, we mentioned some of the highlights. I’ve had discussions with the Member about the interest of Deline in terms of mini-hydro and the work that’s been done to look at the Bear and the list, as we move forward on mini-hydro over the coming months and years, we want to look at mini-hydro wherever there are possibilities. We also have some good indication, for example, from Good Hope and the Ramparts. That budget address was not exhaustive in its reflection of all the projects and areas where funding is going to be spent. There is going to be, I...

Debates of , 16th Assembly, 3rd Session (day 5)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I hope I didn’t short out the whole sound system by knocking over my water. I wish to table the following document titled Northwest Territories Main Estimates 2009-2010; $1.3 billion of good progress.

---Applause

Debates of , 16th Assembly, 3rd Session (day 5)

Mr. Speaker, I stand today to present the 2009-10 budget to this House and the people of the Northwest Territories. I would like to thank my Cabinet colleagues, the standing committees, and all the other groups and individuals, for the input and advice they have provided.

We are gathered here in a time of unprecedented global economic turmoil that continues to worsen daily. Our collective task in the NWT is to work together during these difficult times, to meet the many challenges and seize the opportunities as they present themselves.

Last year’s budget noted the storm warnings on the economic...