Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The budgetary process just completed has led us to modest new appropriations and realignment of funds and response to Regular Members’ fiscal priorities.
The newly allocated funds amount to $3.728 million, one-quarter of 1 percent of the total $1.411 billion budget. There are $1.25 million in funds re-profiled internally and perhaps $140,000 in foregone revenue. That’s a total change of $5.118 million or 0.36, one-third of a percent of the total.
The government has fiercely defended its position that there should be no additional expenditures, because “we don’t want to jeopardize our Aa1 credit rating.” Meanwhile the government also says it’s “committed to protecting the programs and services our residents rely on.”
The guiding principles of consensus government point out that consensus government is defined by the ability and willingness of all Members to work together with their respective roles for the collective good of the people and that the opportunities for all Members to have meaningful input in important decisions is fundamental. Yet over the past three weeks there has been a battle royal to have a significant impact on the direction of one-third of 1 percent of the government’s proposed budget. Since then, the government has brought forward new proposals for both infrastructure and operations dollars that already dwarf the minority budgetary achievements of Regular Members. Undoubtedly, other appropriations or warrants can be expected.
The business planning process is long, arduous, and held up to the guiding principles requirement for meaningful input, unfortunately, does not leave an impression of open dialogue. Input from this side of the House is seen as undermining the budget and described as showing irresponsible disregard for our long-term fiscal security, yet one has to ask, according to the records, whose decisions actually threaten our fiscal security.
All Members gathered at the beginning of our term to set the 17th Assembly priorities. All Members make recommendations on the draft budget, a key feature of our consensus government, and all Members decide whether to approve the budget. As we move into the next business planning cycle, the government needs to pay much more attention to the words we are saying and have said.
Thank you, Mr. Bromley. The honourable Member for Inuvik Boot Lake, Mr. Moses.
