Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I also would like to ask questions of the Minister for refocusing government. I’m wondering what boards and agencies do we have that actually have elected members, democratically elected members. I know the two education boards in Yellowknife. Are there others in the Northwest Territories?
Thank you, Mr. Bromley. The honourable Minister responsible for refocusing government, Mr. Miltenberger.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Education has elected boards for the most part. The one exception I believe exists was the arrangements made in Fort Smith where the DEA patterned itself under the health board arrangement where there were two seats for the band, two for the Metis, and two for the general public. But for the most part education boards are elected and health boards are appointed. And the LHO boards, as well, I believe are appointed.
I think these elections are important parts of our democratic process. I think also that particularly in education, the area the Minister has identified, this is a way we can find passionate and truly dedicated people. The statements I’ve seen by the Minister, the outright statements and insinuations, is that we would get rid of all these democratically elected positions and move to appointments. Does the Minister not agree that this would be a loss of engagement with our public? A loss of the civil input, civil society role for meaningful input and the passion that we really want in our education?
There have been no insinuations. I have stated clearly right from the start, and consistently, that the issue of elected versus appointed has yet to be determined. That the structure that we currently have has a mix and as we move forward with board reform, that would be one of the issues that would have to be debated and decisions made on the most appropriate type of structure. Are there other hybrid models? There’s some appointed seats, there are some guaranteed seats, there’s a number of options out there that have yet to be considered.
Perhaps I have been misreading the statements, as have many other people. I’m wondering, just for clarity, is the Minister equally interested in comments on elected versus appointed memberships on these boards and agencies and will he actively seek input on that specific question of democratic elections?
Going forward from April those questions would have to be discussed. The whole issue of all the work done to cost out some of the Collective Agreement issues, pension issues, would have to be looked at. The discussion about the concept and if that’s not the right concept what is the plan, there are a number of significant issues that would have to be addressed going forward. April is just one of the first milestone dates. We had given ourselves to 2010-2011 to work through the planning, design, and implementation. After April we will be looking at those decisions and further consultations.
Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Final supplementary, Mr. Bromley.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. That hasn’t clarified the process here to me. Just for clarity, will the Minister be providing the public with the information necessary for them to be able to comment prior to April 1st or is our public to remain mute until April 1st and then they can look at the results and comment thereafter?
We’ve laid out the work we’re trying to get concluded by April so that we can have that fulsome discussion about next steps. The issue of the debate over some of these fundamental issues is yet to be had. The debate over and looking at some of the numbers and costs that are tied into some of the broader issues with collective agreements and implementation and the costing have yet to be had. So the assurance to the Member is that we look forward and plan on further consultation and debate on those fundamental issues, recognizing once again that there is going to be, in all probability, regional differences as there are regional differences that currently exist.
Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. The honourable Member for Sahtu, Mr. Yakeleya.
