[English translation not provided.]
I’ve been practicing. Mr. Speaker, on February 5th of this year the Finance Minister proclaimed an aggressive yet ambitious target to attract 2,000 new residents to the NWT. Our most current publication from the Bureau of Stats says the NWT’s population fell by 218 persons. Now, that is a negative 10 percent shortfall on that particular number.
In the Finance Minister’s words on February 6th, again, it said our fiscal future is closely linked to economic prospects and healthy population growth. The Minister continues to go on by saying we are also aware the risk of low economic growth and declining population poses on the territorial financing grant. Furthermore, he continues by saying the most effective way we can grow our revenues is to grow our economy and our population.
I can continue to quote the Finance Minister at length, but the fact is we’re not growing our population. If this government was serious and committed to growing our population, it’s time to be bold yet responsible. I’d like the government to consider ideas like this.
If this government committed today by putting two teachers in every school across the NWT, what would that do? Well, that would do wonders for education. It would do wonders for population growth. It would do amazing things for community vitality, every single community.
Now, a fiscally responsible person would easily and quickly say, where’s the money going to come from? Well, that would be a very good question. I estimate that if we put about approximately 70 new teachers on the ground, that would cost us approximately $7 million. If each teacher brought a spouse, two children, as a matter of fact, the net federal transfer would cover that cost.
In comparison to the fires this summer at a million dollars a day, that $7 million cost to cover those teachers would equal seven days of firefighting. Let’s put money out there that really means something and does something, so if you have a school in Paulatuk, you have a school in Fort Good Hope, give them two new teachers, put money in that small community. It’s a real resource to help our kids, help our families, help our communities. Those people spend real money. That real money will help revitalize that community and it will continue and continue. This is called genuine investment. So, if we want to support our communities, it’s time to support the base, we support the foundation as we build a future for everyone.
I’ll have questions later for the Minister of Finance, who made those bold statements, to find out where we are on this prospect of attracting 2,000 new people, because I can tell you today we’re already behind on that target. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. The Member for Tu Nedhe, Mr. Beaulieu.
