Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Last June I made a Member’s statement about Cabinet communication and consensus government. As I indicated then, I believe in consensus government. I feel that it can and does work. However, for it to be effective, it will take cooperation from all Members: those in Cabinet and those on this side of the House. Unfortunately, open two way communication and open dialogue does not always occur.
Toward the end of the May–June session I was optimistic that effective two way communication between Cabinet and the rest of us was going to be a reality. Since then there has been improved communication in some areas — unfortunately, not in all areas.
Specifically, I’m talking about the recent actions undertaken by the Premier with respect to advancing the devolution and resource revenue sharing negotiations with the federal government. I’m not criticizing the proposal the Premier has presented to the federal government. It may be a great deal. It may be the best deal that this territory can get. It may even be the right deal.
My problem is that we the 11 Regular Members of the 16th Legislative Assembly don’t have or know any of the details of this proposal. Resource revenue sharing and devolution are incredibly important to the future of the Northwest Territories. As elected officials all 19 of us need to have input and provide some direction on where we as a territory go with respect to these issues. Unfortunately, we are once again being told by Cabinet what’s being done. We are not included in decision-making and are not being permitted to work together in the best interest of the people of the Northwest Territories.
Today I’d like to encourage the Premier and Cabinet to think about the commitment each of them made during the first TLC of this Assembly: a commitment to work together. Further, I would like to remind you that membership on Executive Council is a privilege, and a four-year term is not guaranteed. Working together is critical for the success of this Legislature and consensus government.
At the appropriate time I’ll be asking the Premier some questions on the status of the devolution and resource revenue sharing agreement between Cabinet and the federal government.
Thank you, Mr. Abernethy. The honourable Member for Weledeh, Mr. Bromley.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I want to speak today about a growing concern that I have with how this government communicates with both the Members of this Assembly and the public.
On Friday I made a statement and had questions for the Premier about how it came to be that the GNWT planned, developed and delivered a billion dollar cost shared infrastructure proposal to the federal government without running any of it by Regular Members of this House. Nor did they have any meaningful communication about it with aboriginal governments. I believe this is yet another sad chapter in this government’s year-long existence.
This is not just a small oversight. It’s a billion dollar substantive proposal to the federal government that Regular Members should have been consulted on. It’s inexcusable. But, then again, should I or any other Regular Member be that surprised? This is the same Premier and government that failed to tell us about a signed concession agreement tying us to the Deh Cho Bridge when they knew it was signed off three days before the last election. This is the same Premier and government who told us that we would be consulted before any layoff notification letters were sent to affected employees. This is the same Premier and government that developed a list for the Building Canada Fund but forgot to consult with us. This is the same Premier and government that divvied up equal trust dollars without involving Regular Members.
Mr. Speaker, in my estimation, this government lacks sense to understand that loose communication, poor messaging and lack of coordination is going to erode public confidence and the confidence Regular Members have in this government. How many more times are we going to have to take issue with this government’s lack of oversight and poor communication skills? Regular Members and the public deserve better treatment. This government just does not seem to understand or appreciate political sensitivity.
Mr. Speaker, the political barometer of this government is broken and in desperate need of repair. As a Regular Member I cannot and will not accept this poor treatment, especially its reoccurring nature. Regular Members cannot continue to be an afterthought of Cabinet. Mahsi.
Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. The honourable Member for Frame Lake, Ms. Bisaro.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have been listening to my colleagues here today talking about the lack of communication with Regular Members on this side. I have been in this government now for four terms. I have never seen it worse than it is right now. I am feeling extremely discouraged, to be honest. I hate to admit discouragement, but I feel discouraged.
Any time we offer an opinion or any kind of criticism, even if we try to be constructive on this side of House, it seems to be met with, so early in this term, almost kind of a mocking arrogance from the other side of the House — the demeanour, the talking, the laughing when we are trying to share things that are really important. We’re not here just for a good time; we are here to get something done.
I think everybody here could be doing something different, but we are here because we feel we have something to offer and something to contribute and something to bring to the table on behalf of Northerners. Every time we talk like this, it seems, I could say we get met with this kind of mocking laughter from the other side of the House. Well, I’m telling you, I don’t think they think over there that we will do anything about this situation. I think that is why they can sit there and laugh at it; I don’t think they think we will do anything about it.
We all got on board the good ship Government when we got elected a year ago. But I’m sorry; the government has got its sails down. We are going nowhere fast. The petty little bits of legislation that come before us: if that’s the agenda of the government, that’s pretty sad, and it is out of touch with the realities facing the North. We have big problems. We have big issues out there, and we are just taking this kind of, I don’t know, stargazing approach.
We do have an issue here. I would be very interested in hearing from the folks out there in the public about what they think of this government. This is not a bureaucratic exercise. We are the leaders; we are the visionaries, so let’s get the sails up.
Thanks, Ms. Groenewegen. The honourable Member for Yellowknife Centre, Mr. Hawkins.
