My question is for the Premier. It is in regard to his comments yesterday to Mr. Hawkins. It was an example that he used for vacancies. Through that exercise we would become aware of vacancies which are out there, but it would also be an easy way to look at the direct impact on individuals.
We also have to realize that there is a direct impact on communities that have these vacant positions and haven’t been able to have the basic programs and services delivered in their communities. I hope what I heard from the Premier is not that we’re going to add more pain to the communities by way of not allowing them to have basic programs and services by way of mental health workers, alcohol and drug workers, income support workers — you name it. A lot of our communities don’t even have the basic programs.
I would like to ask the Premier to make it clear to the public that they are not going to be cutting essential services to communities where there are none, where we’re trying to fill vacant positions.
One of the things we’re operating by as the 16th Legislative Assembly, and the work we’re doing around the financial aspects and looking for reinvestments and savings, is we align with the goals we’ve set. One of our goals is sustainable, vibrant, safe communities. What we would look at in general is…. Vacant positions would be an easier process, but we still have to go back and align with the initiatives we’re trying to establish as the 16th Assembly. When we focus on those initiatives, if there are vacant positions that align themselves with that and help us deliver those programs, they wouldn’t just be an automatic pull-off-the-shelf.
There are a number of activities we can align ourselves with, whether it is vacant positions that don’t align with our priorities that we’ve had a difficult time fulfilling, as well as, for example, retirements that are occurring. We could time this, as well, in a whole number of ways, and we’re looking for how we would do that.
In light of the area where I believe we do have to cut, I also recall that coming into the 13th Assembly, we had some 4,500 employees in the Government of the Northwest Territories, which included Nunavut. Now we have almost 6,000 employees in the Government of the Northwest Territories, which is almost double the number of people in the public service, yet there are 3,000 employees here in Yellowknife.
I would just like to make it clear to the Premier that we are still suffering in the communities because of what happened in the 13th Assembly. We’ve never been able to catch up with the number of vacancies and the challenges we face. We are having to hire nurses from down south to come in and work shift work, costing us double the cost of trying to put people in communities.
I’d like to ask Premier again that if any cuts take place, they do take place where the growth has happened and not in communities.
As I’ve stated earlier, this is going to be a broad approach. We’re looking at all departments. The larger your budget is, the larger portion will be looked at just for the fact that that’s where the budget is. We are going through an exercise that will look at the strategic initiatives that we’ve set as the 16th Legislative Assembly. We’re going to look for opportunities to re-profile, to make better use of the dollars we do spend. We’re going to have to live within the financial cap we have with a billion-dollar expenditure.
As the Member pointed out…. He mentioned 6,000, but when you look at permanent employees or casual employees, we’re around 5,400 employees within the G.N.W.T. Those are areas from the program-delivery side that we’ll have to look at. We’re going to come out with a balanced approach that Members will look at and will be able to work with us on if we’re heading down the right path or not.
I’d like to ask the Premier if there have been commitments made by Ministers to particular communities on issues. I was with the Minister of Health in Tsiigehtchic. They’re trying to get a nurse as the community hasn’t had one for four years, and they’re also looking at a mental health physician for that community.
I’d like to get some assurance from the Premier that if there are any commitments made by Ministers to communities, to try to ensure they fill those vacant positions, that they don’t come back now and say, “Sorry, we’re not committed to that.” I’d like to get some assurance that those commitments will be lived up to.
Mr. Speaker, again, as we begin laying out the plan we have for the 16th Assembly, targeting areas where we want reinvestment, areas that we want to re-prioritize, those activities will occur. Ministers who make commitments need to align their commitments with that plan. I would say if Ministers are making commitments that don’t fit with that plan, they’re going to have to justify to this House and Members why that commitment was made and not honoured.
Mr. Speaker, I’d like to ask the Premier if he has a system in place to notify affected MLAs if there are going to be any vacancies in their ridings by way of positions. Then we can be informed ahead of time, and we will be able to react to our constituents when they find out there are notices given or that positions are going to be removed from our constituencies.
We’re going to work in a way that is respectful for Members as well as for employees when we do make decisions on what positions may be affected. We’re going to work in that environment, where we’re working in a transparent forum. We definitely don’t want Members to walk back to their communities when a decision has been made and you’re approached by people who you’re not aware have been affected. We are going to try to do business differently. Even with that, we’re coming back to this House, to Members, for input, so you’ll be aware of the changes that are going to take place.
