Mr. Speaker, let’s not mix the words of one response with another. We know instructions have been given to departments to meet their targets. Instructions have not been given to departments — let’s separate that now; instructions have not been given to departments — to begin reductions April 1. We have not made that decision at this level. We haven’t brought those forward as part of a business plan as of yet. Until we get that level of approval, we can’t be going out and giving that direction to the public service.
What does happen as a normal course of business, for example, Mr. Speaker, is that when a program has been sunsetted already, when departments knew that their three-year funding was running out, whether it was part of a federal transfer or a program that a department may have initiated a number of years ago, then it’s normal business as we proceed. It’s not part of the reduction scenario or cost-saving measures that we’re taking as a government overall.
Mr. Speaker, I’m having a little bit of trouble understanding the logic where the government tells departments that they’re going to be okay hiring on a case-by-case basis in an effort to achieve reductions. We don’t have to wait until April 1st to figure that out; that happened last week. That exercise is already happening. It’s at play in the government departments. The instruction was given by the government without consulting the Regular Members.
I’d like to again ask the Premier: what specific instructions have been given to the departments?
Mr. Speaker, I see the path this is going down: that as a new government, as Premier, we’ve not shared any information with Members, that we’ve been withholding information. I’ve taken a large number of steps to be as open as possible with Members, to share the direction we’re going in.
In fact, early in January I offered up the opportunity to see where we’ve looked at setting these targets. We’ve shared information. Is it complicated? Is it because the Member just disagrees with where we’re going? I’m not sure.
What we were trying to do is prevent the reverse. When we heard that departments were beginning to shut down positions and not hire, we hadn’t given a direction on a hiring freeze or anything of that nature, and that is not in place.
The policies are all still in place and being used for the jobs that are out there and being advertised. What we’ve asked for is an extra level of scrutiny, in a sense, with the deputy ministers as they’re doing their work to have a final look at that to ensure that we’re not going down a path that might six months later, when we come to our May/June budget session, end up laying off some employees that just were hired six months prior.
Mr. Speaker, that wasn’t the path I was going down, but the Premier said it himself. Whether the information is being shared or not — we could debate that for a long time. I have a differing view of things than the Premier does, obviously.
Again, I just wanted to ask the question: are we being clear and consistent with the instructions that are being given to the departments? Are all departments being treated equally on the instructions that are being given to them? Thank you.
Mr. Speaker, the result, as the Member has pointed out, of the additional process we’ve undertaken at this stage is to be clear, to be consistent with every department, and I believe that they are getting the message. Thank you.
Mr. Speaker, about a year ago I raised the issue of the N.W.T. licence plate and how its tagline says, “Explore Canada’s Arctic.” My concern at the time with the Minister of the day was the fact that it’s not truly reflective of our Northwest Territories in present times. The good Minister of the day had agreed with me, and it sounded like the department was moving forward full steam ahead on updating the licence plate with a suggestion I brought forward, “spectacular.ca.”
My question to the Minister of Transportation is: where is this project? Assuming that it’s still going forward, when can we see some work that’s been done on this project?
Mr. Speaker, the polar bear licence plate is internationally known and has played a significant role over the years in promoting the Northwest Territories. I’d like to thank the Member for being persistent on this issue and for the suggestion and working with this government in terms of changing our licence plate to “spectacular.” I’d like to advise the House and the Member that the N.W.T. Tourism group is working with the Department of ITI and the Department of Transportation in terms of promoting this licence plate, and it’s going through its process of establishing such a logo for the Northwest Territories.
I’m glad the Minister understands it clearly that I in no way am suggesting to change the shape of the licence plate; it’s only the tagline. My concern is that it’s not happening soon enough. The issue, I can clearly hear, has good buy-in, but it’s not moving fast enough.
My question really is: when can we see some results of this work? When can we expect to be able to see cars driving around the Northwest Territories that say “spectacular” on the back of them? When can we see that work?
I, too, would like to see the licence plate and the word “spectacular” on it. I will follow up on this issue with my department. I will ask the department to give me an update as to this, and I will pass it on to the Members of the House. If Mr. Hawkins would like further discussions, I’ll be happy to sit down with him. I’m also working closely with my colleague from ITI in terms of advancing this issue so that all people in the Northwest Territories can be proud to have this word on their licence plates.
Mr. Speaker, this only begs one more element to this combination. Obviously it’s nice to see a Minister working with a Member and hearing the cries from this side of the House — and hasn’t forgotten us, by the way. But I’d just like the reassurance from the Minister that he will include the N.W.T. Tourism Association in on this as well as, as he had mentioned, the Minister of ITI. Finally, would he make sure I’m included in some type of release when they do this? Thank you.
Mr. Speaker, I thank the Member for the spectacular question.
Laughter.
I would ask my colleague that he and I would work on this very closely. We are working directly with N.W.T. Tourism. We’re all working on this issue here. Hopefully, we would make the fact of the announcements in terms of when we could unroll this licence plate out to the people of the Northwest Territories.
My question today is directed towards the Minister Responsible for Transportation.
The other day I talked about customer service and whatnot, and brought up an issue about driver’s licences and how they’re not accepted as ID, even though they are official ID when people want to get additional pieces of ID.
New examples have come to me since I made that statement. In one situation, a lady wanted to change her driver’s licence because she got married. She brought in a certified legal copy of her marriage certificate and was told it was not acceptable, that she needed to have her original marriage certificate. So off she went home. She got her official copy, brought it back, put it on the table. They took a photocopy, handed it back and said, “Thank you very much.” That photocopy is not worth the paper it’s printed on. The certified copy was far more legal and acceptable.
I’d like to ask the Minister Responsible for Transportation to commit to looking at their policies and procedures to ensure they aren’t creating redundancies, they aren’t creating extra barriers for people, and they’re streamlined and efficient, thereby saving money and whatnot.
Mr. Speaker, the issue the Member has raised, I will be looking into it. I will be asking the department.
I know there is lots of work that has been done by the department in terms of this issue here. I will ask the department to review its policies to look at the specific issue that Mr. Abernethy is bringing up here today. I will make a commitment that I would follow up with it as soon as possible and see where we can provide better service to our people in the North.
My questions also are for the Minister of Transportation today.
I had a constituent who had occasion to drive to Hay River the other day and reminded me when she got here when she asked about the Kakisa River Bridge and the sign there that says, “Slow down; five kilometres per hour.”
We obviously have a very serious problem with the Kakisa River Bridge. Unfortunately, we don’t have an opportunity for an ice crossing or a ferry on that particular river. It needs to be fixed. It is a piece of Territorial transportation infrastructure that is obviously in disrepair. I’m worried about big trucks slowing down in a snowstorm to get down to that five kilometres per hour and the traffic behind them. It’s danger.
I’d like to ask the Minister of Transportation: what is being done to address the problems at the Kakisa River Bridge?
Mr. Speaker, I thank the Member for raising this issue.
Mr. Speaker, the Kakisa River Bridge is in dire need of being replaced, and it is being looked at. It is an old bridge that shows some deteriorating structures to it. It is in the plans to replace that bridge.
We are asking drivers to slow down when they come to the bridge. It may be annoying to them, but they need to slow down to be safe on that bridge. I, for one, am fearful that a terrible accident may be in the waiting. I’ve asked my department. My colleagues here are all aware that this bridge is in dire need to be replaced as soon as possible.
Mr. Speaker, I’d like to ask the Minister of Transportation: what’s wrong with the bridge? Should we be worried even driving across it at five kilometres per hour? What is exactly wrong with the bridge that requires people to slow down to five kilometres per hour?
I’m just waiting for you to finish your consultation there.
What’s wrong with the bridge? Why do we have to slow down to five kilometres? Should we be worried about driving on it at even five kilometres per hour? What kind of assurance can the Minister offer to the public? What’s wrong with the bridge?
Mr. Speaker, it’s a precautionary measure that we ask of all public members, to slow down because of structural damages to the bridge, that they slow down when they cross the bridge at the Kakisa River.
Mr. Speaker, we ask people to slow down. If they don’t slow down and something unfortunate, an incident, took place, how serious is the bridge? This is a precautionary measure, I understand. If a big truck went over it and didn’t slow down, what could happen?
Mr. Speaker, the question is on all our infrastructure systems, on roads in the North here.
We’re asking as a precautionary measure for vehicles to slow down because there’s some structural damage that we need to have replaced at the Kakisa Bridge. Like any other, it’s not a fail-safe bridge, so we’re asking members of the public to slow down when they cross the bridge.
Final supplementary, Mrs. Groenewegen.
I’d like to ask the Minister: is he quite satisfied that the signage leading up to the bridge is adequate to communicate to people that they need to slow down? Has he seen the signage? Is it bright enough? Does it start back far enough? Is it sufficient?
Mr. Speaker, the bridge remains safe to the travelling public. The signage on the bridge is as much as we can do, and if we can, to do more. I’m satisfied that the signage that we have there, the message we have out for the public — to slow down when they cross the Kakisa Bridge — is there. We’ve been monitoring that traffic.
I myself have driven that road. I have crossed that bridge at five kilometres an hour. I myself am satisfied that all we can do now is up to the public to make wise choices, in terms of travelling all our roads in the N.W.T.
Mr. Speaker, it has come to my attention that there have been some tenders let in the Mackenzie Delta region. Yet some of these items haven’t even been approved by this House. In one case, it was deferred ’til the May-June session. Mr. Speaker, also part of those tendering documents called for materials to be delivered in 2009.
I’d like to ask the Premier: are we spending money in this fiscal year which hasn’t been budgeted for in this House? Also, why is it that we are allocating contracts for next year, which is April 2009, when we’re not even to April 2008 yet?
Mr. Speaker, in our processes, we are beginning our budgeting cycle. Normally, budgets would be brought in place and voted in this House for April 1 and beyond. We’re coming forward with an interim process, and then May-June is the main sitting, as we’ve worked out with Members.
Some departments, as stated in the House yesterday, have come forward with a larger part because of some contracting issues, and those may be incorporated. But without the specifics, I am unable to give a full response.
Mr. Speaker, the information was provided to the Government House Leader this morning, when I had a discussion with him on this matter.
Again, as a government we are going through a deficit-cutting process here. Yet the departments are spending money for the following year, when we are telling people we have to cut our budget and we have to cut programs and services. But the departments continue to put out contracts for services they don’t need, almost, in some cases, two years down the road.
I’d like to ask the Premier: could he look into this situation? If this is a trend of the departments, I think that we should maybe put the brakes on that in light of the deficit situation we find ourselves in.
Again, once I have the details of those specific issues that the Member has raised, I would be willing to look into that and get the proper information to see why these are happening, if they’re tied to previous monies.
Everything we put out there, there’s a caveat that if departments are going forward, it’s based on approvals of this Assembly for new dollars. But I would gladly sit down with the Member and get that detail.
The time for question period has expired; however, I will allow the Member a supplementary question.
Mr. Speaker, also in one case the project was deferred until we went through a line item with the Premier in regard to an appropriation in which certain items were withdrawn from the budget because they weren’t classified as urgent.
I’d just like to ask the Premier: if they’re not classified as urgent, why are government departments putting out contracts, and yet we’re deferring projects in our budget process?
Mr. Speaker, we’ll be — later on today, I hope, and throughout the rest of our session — dealing with specifics as we proceed and looking for approvals from this Assembly.
Again, for the specific areas, I need to get the details and actually sit down with the Member and see where things are.
Final, short supplementary, Mr. Krutko.
Mr. Speaker, the construction industry gets frustrated with government contracts when they put out tenders. They put them on the bind for one or two years where they have to hold these products, or they deliver the products a year or two in advance, yet they have to front the money.
I’d just like to ask the Premier if he can maybe look at how we’re putting out contracts and work with either the Construction Association or the private industry to see if there are ways that we can do this better by way of our tendering process.
Mr. Speaker, we are in fact looking at the whole area of our contracting practices, the timing we let out our contracts, our processes that are incorporated to date. We’ve instructed a committee led by Minister Michael McLeod to review this process and come back with recommendations on the area of contracting and existing practices. Thank you.
The time for question period has expired.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to seek unanimous consent to return to item 5, recognition of visitors in the gallery.
Unanimous consent granted.
Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery
Mr. Speaker, I would like to recognize two pages that have been serving in our Legislature this week who are from Hay River South. I would like to thank them for a job very well done. They are Mikaela Muller and Danelle Stelmack. Thank you, girls.
I’d like to recognize and thank the Chipewyan interpreter, trainees, instructors and elders that have been here all week.
Mr. Speaker, I’d like to recognize today a constituent from Enterprise who is in town for business. Winnie Cadieux is a former mayor of Enterprise. I’d like to say welcome to her.
Mr. Speaker, I’d like to recognize two pages in the House from my constituency, Brooke Edwards and Steve Gruben, who are from Aklavik and who are here this week. I’d like to thank them for coming, and I hope they enjoy their stay. Mahsi.
Later on today, colleagues, I will be tabling a report from the Auditor General’s office on the review of NWT Housing Corporation. I’m pleased to welcome into the House three individuals from the office of the Auditor General: Mr. Andrew Ross, Stephanie Nielson, and David Bourne. Welcome to the proceedings of the House.
Mr. Speaker, I’d like to recognize the pages, Alexandra and Kaitlyn, from the Weledeh riding. They’ve been doing a great job. It’s great to see them here. Thank you.
If we’ve missed anyone in the gallery, welcome to the House. I hope you’re enjoying the proceedings.
Mr. Speaker, this week I talked about funding for sports, recreation and youth programs and services from sources other than the G.N.W.T. I’d like to follow up my statement with the following questions.
Lutselk’e and Fort Resolution are both members of the Mackenzie Recreation Association. I understand that the MRA received an increase in core funding this year.
I’d like to ask the Minister of MACA:
What is the total funding that Lutselk’e and Fort Resolution received in each of the last five years from the MRA, and what was the purpose of the funding?
What is the total funding that other road access and fly-in-only communities received from the MRA in each of the last five years, and what was the purpose of the funding?
Fly-in-only communities are at a significant disadvantage to fully participate at the same level of those communities on the road system. Does the MRA recognize this, and if so, how do they address it? Do they provide travel assistance to those communities that are isolated?
