In my Member’s statement I talked about morale and the $135 million in budget reductions. Since the announcement has come out from the Premier that there will be $135 million in reductions and staff cuts, we have all had staff come to us and ask us, “Is my job going to be gone tomorrow? Do I need to start looking for another job?” As indicated in my statement, I think cutting jobs is the last thing we should be doing. It should be the last course of action with respect to bringing our spending in line.
I'd like to ask the Premier to commit to work with staff and to assure them that if any job cuts do occur, they will be as a last resort, and that we as the government will make every reasonable effort to reduce our spending without cutting jobs.
Mr. Speaker, I ask one thing for the record. In his Member’s statement the Member referenced the fact that we would be making cuts on the backs of employees. That is not the process we are using. The target isn't whether we are going to take out a certain number or percentage of employees. It’s just a matter of process.
The target we're working with is looking at the programs we deliver and whether they are providing or delivering what they were identified to be delivering, or what they were structured to deliver — looking at those programs and reprioritizing that money or using it in other areas or initiatives.
There are a number of factors that would end up being in process. We would work with the frameworks that we have in place — for example, transfer assignments for moving employees over to where they may fit with a reorganized unit. There are a number of factors we would put in place before an employee is left to the last resort where that position can't be redeployed some place, or even in another community.
But for the record, this exercise is not about just taking a target percentage of employees and removing them. We're looking at a program-based approach, and unfortunately there will be some effect to employees where programs are being relocated or reprioritized.
I’m glad to hear that. I'd still like to hear that job cuts will be a last resort and that this government will make every reasonable effort to find creative ways of reducing our spending — such as items mentioned yesterday about energy efficiency and those types of things — before job cuts.
On October 17 I asked the Premier “How will he work toward strengthening the public service and improving the morale of staff within the G.N.W.T.?” According to the unedited Hansard from October 17, the Premier indicated that “we must treat all employees — it doesn't matter at what level — with respect as an individual.” He went further to say: “We need to talk to those at the front line to say what works for you in how you deliver your programs.”
Directly related to that, I'd like to see a commitment from the Premier to actually work with staff, get out to the staff and talk to the staff at the lower levels. They often have a lot of good ideas on how to reduce spending and streamline programs that would be a lot more effective and may not be presented to you at the higher levels.
I would like you, as Premier, to commit to getting out — not necessarily you — or getting your department out and talk to the staff and listen to the staff. They have a lot of good ideas; they’re the ones who deliver the programs. If you get to them and you get the information from them, they might be able to help you streamline and reduce costs without cutting their own jobs.
So a commitment from the Premier.
What was raised yesterday was about trying to look at other ways we can do that. The Member is correct: I myself would not be able to touch base with all of my employees, but I would pursue that through our departments. We need to seek those that are directly involved.
I recall even from my own days as a public servant in the Government of the N.W.T. that you see things at a community level that you know can be addressed, and there can be some savings identified. We should not turn a blind eye to those that are on the front-line and who might have some ideas for us. We’ll look at ways of trying to do that. I gave an example yesterday — a potential way of getting ideas on the Premier’s web site. We can look at a number of other ways of doing that as well.
