I’d like to ask my questions to the Premier with regard to job cuts and the wave of terror, as we read in the headlines this morning. My honourable colleague from Great Slave was quoted on that. But that’s exactly what’s going on, not only in the capital but throughout the regions as well. The people are fearing for their jobs.
What I’d like to know is…. Yes, the bottom line is important to the Finance Minister, and yes, cuts are necessary. But there’s got to be due diligence and due process when they’re assessing job cuts. I’d like to know what kind of processes are in place or what kinds of mechanisms are being used to assess these? Mahsi.
Mr. Speaker, the biggest things we’re working at is taking the appropriate amount of time to ensure that what is being advanced as initiatives or cost-saving areas is, in fact, going to be cost-saving areas. It is going to minimize the impact on the delivery of programs and services.
But the cold, hard reality is that if we don’t take the necessary steps today, then we are mortgaging our children’s future — and I would say mortgaging at a sub-prime level, which we don’t want to see happen.
We are taking initiatives, looking at how we do this, taking the necessary time. We will be presenting Members with our draft plans as we pull those together. The work is happening. It’s taking more time than we initially anticipated, but we will be having draft plans to Members in the near future.
With respect to the assessments that are going on out there, I know that government is doing the work. The Premier said all the departments and all their analysts are doing as much work as they can.
But I’m an MLA, and people are contacting me. They're saying this is happening, and that's happening. We are the front line to our constituents.
There appears to be a disconnect. Things are happening in the regions, and they're moving forward in terms of reductions. But the government is not letting the MLAs and our committee systems know. There seems to be a gap there.
I'd like to ask the Premier: has direction been given to departments to start initiating cuts beginning April 1st? Mahsi.
No, we have not given direction to begin the reductions in the front line on April 1st. In fact, our interim appropriation is one that will keep us going at the existing levels.
In terms of all government-wide essential services such as health care, nurses, and emergency services, how will those be affected? Have assessments been done on those?
The work is ongoing, looking at what options are being developed by departments. Every department is going to be affected by this process. The decisions we make on what is acceptable to bring forward as well as incorporating what Members would bring to the table through their work is under careful review.
At this point we are unable to put out the detail, as we're putting that together so we can go to committee, have that review, and get some feedback as to what's being presented. We're not at the stage yet where we can lay out: here is where it’s going to happen, and this is how people will be affected.
The fact is, though, because so many of our dollars go through authorities such as Education, Health and Social Services, when departments are given targets, they have to work with their partners in delivery. That's probably where they're seeing information, as options are being reviewed but have not been accepted at this point.
Final supplementary, Mr. Menicoche.
Earlier in the week, in my inbox, I saw an invitation from the Union of Northern Workers to the Premier, inviting him to speak at a round-table discussion. I'd like to know what his response was to that invitation. Mahsi.
I did receive that letter. I am reviewing what we may be able to do. Our work is in this forum. I have had contact with the president of the UNW and will continue to have contact with him as we develop our plan.
At this point I haven't responded to that letter. Once we come up with a better plan and details of that and Members have looked at that, I can sit down and provide a briefing to their executive.
