Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'd like to use my Member's statement today to speak on the whole budget process that we just went through and Premier Roland's announcement yesterday during Committee of the Whole.
I voted at second reading to have the budget put into Committee of the Whole, because I wanted to have the opportunity to debate it. I said at the time that I would fight this tooth and nail for Inuvik and Arctic Tern. Well, we did, and last night and this morning I felt like I was in a brawl after five weeks of Committee of the Whole. But we were able to defer the closure of Arctic Tern, and it wasn't because of me. Although I played a small part in it, it was largely due to the letters that we received from the employees of Arctic Tern. They had a lot to do with my Social Programs colleagues. I shared the letters with them, and they committed their support. The biggest support came from the 11 Regular Members on this side of the House. Without their support — standing with me when it came for a vote — this never would have happened. I appreciate the support, and I thank you for it. According to a few of the e-mails I got from Inuvik this morning, they also thank you very much for your support.
Cabinet also played a role in this. This time you not only talked the talk, you actually walked the walk. We appreciate it, and Arctic Tern appreciates it.
We wanted to be able to save all the jobs, but we weren't able to. For those we weren't able to save, I apologize. But I'm confident that with your abilities and your commitment you will find employment within the GNWT. If you don't find employment with the GNWT because you are an affected employee, let me know. I will raise the issue with Minister Bob McLeod of Human Resources, because affected employees should be first on the list. I think we've already said that.
We fought the budget cuts, not because it was our job, not because we wanted to justify our position as MLAs, and not because of ads in the paper. We fought the budget and the cuts because it was the right thing to do for the people in the Northwest Territories. I said yesterday and I'll say again today — and I read it somewhere on the Internet — I believe consensus government does work. I think this whole budget process was a prime example of consensus government working. Had it not been for that…. Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.
Unanimous consent granted.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and thank you, colleagues. I was saying this was a prime example of consensus government at work. Had it not been for that, they'd have put forward a budget, and the budget would have been run through with 135 job cuts and everything else they wanted. So I do believe in consensus government.
I work with a lot of Members from the smaller communities. They raise their concerns passionately. I believe we will reinvest in the smaller communities across the Northwest Territories regardless of what other people think, because our Member's Conduct Guidelines say that we will distribute our resources fairly and justly, and I think this Assembly will do that.
Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. McLeod. The honourable Member for Kam Lake, Mr. Ramsay.
Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I want to use my Member's statement today to speak about yesterday's proceedings in regard to third reading of Bill 8 for the 2008–2009 budget.
As Members are well aware, the last four weeks have been a real battle between the Regular Members and Cabinet. We have moved an historic number of motions during our budget deliberations, and yesterday was the culmination of all of our efforts.
The budget is not perfect, but we were able to minimize job loss and get the message out to our constituents that consensus government can and does still work. Our Premier himself has gone through an amazing transformation — from the Premier who took a hard line early on and said no to any movement by government to address our reinstatements to a Premier who did listen and at the end of the day breathed some life back into consensus government. In the past, Premier Roland has been nicknamed Captain Consensus, and he has on occasion in this House said that he is consensus to the core. So I'm very glad to see the Premier getting back to his roots.
I want to thank Premier Roland for working with the Regular Members on the concessions and also Deputy Premier Miltenberger, whom I know played a key role in bringing the budget to the conclusion that we had yesterday.
I want to say thank you to the UNW for all of their efforts in assisting Members with research and advice and also for their public relations campaign regarding the 2008–2009 budget.
The last four weeks have been a gruelling time for Members — many of us far from home and families — and I want to thank all Members for their efforts and their dedication in arriving, finally, at a product we can accept.
None of our work here would be possible without the professional staff we have here at the Legislative Assembly. I want to thank our Clerk, Mr. Tim Mercer; Deputy Clerk, Mr. Doug Schauerte; all of the Clerk's staff, research staff; and all of the other building staff and service providers who make putting on a budget session — and a session in general — possible. Thank you to you too, Mr. Speaker. Mahsi.
Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. The honourable Member for Weledeh, Mr. Bromley.
