The die has been cast, Mr. Speaker, and this government seems to have set in motion the decision to implement the regional services board model as a quintessential advantage of board reform. I agree there are too many boards out there, and we should examine their mandates and strive for efficiencies where we can find them, especially during times of fiscal crisis and restraint.
What’s odd about the situation is that it’s no different from the repeated request made by me and many other Members for program review before slicing and dicing. What is interesting here, as usual, is that any decision that requires a soft glove approach becomes one of urgency and is greased through the system. I want to highlight my official concern and caution, as I can hear the Finance Minister resharpening his boning knives, which have only recently become dull on our public service because of the lack of direction.
The intent behind consolidating health and social services, education and housing boards may not be bad in principle by itself, but when considering all of those mandates under one regional board, the problems start to surface on their own. I fear that this government has come up with an implementation model and put into motion an implementation process without costing this issue by realizing at what cost.
Can anyone provide any analysis of the costs of this change? I doubt it. Can anyone provide any analysis of the efficiency of this change? I doubt that too. The Finance Minister, as always, seems convinced of the virtues of his direction and is full of wishful thinking about the implementation of this task facing him.
I look forward to hearing about what he has identified as a proposal here in Yellowknife for three school boards, a local health authority and, of course, the Stanton Territorial Hospital. I also look forward to the engagement of our public stakeholders in an open and transparent manner about the problems we face with this approach and how they plan to solve these problems with their approach.
Mr. Speaker, I only hope that board reform or government policy isn’t mandated by either wishful thinking or any magic eight ball. I prefer community based boards that respond to community based needs on their structures. I’m concerned that people will lose faith, local control and input if everything is rolled up into a regional board.
Mr. Speaker, I suggest a caring and a modest approach, one the Finance Minister is characteristically not familiar with. I support board reform and efficiency, but don’t take the community relationship out of the factor just to save a few dollars.
Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. The honourable Member for Nahendeh, Mr. Menicoche.
