Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Earlier in my Member’s statement I spoke about decentralization and the huge opportunity for us to grow the whole of the Northwest Territories. I know that we have lots of work ahead of us with phase one and phase two, and we still have lots of heavy lifting up until April 1st, but my questions are more specifically towards phase three of the devolution plan when we can start focusing on decentralization. Perhaps I can ask Mr. Premier about what’s the bird’s-eye view of phase three in devolution and decentralization. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. The honourable Premier, Mr. McLeod.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and I thank the Member for asking this very important question. As we’ve spoken about decentralization and devolution many times, we talked about the three phases. Phase one is where we decentralize a number of existing programs and services. Phase two is devolution, where we said we were devolved and then evolved, and as part of that we were able to move a number of positions out into the regions, something in the neighbourhood of about 90-some positions.
In the past, we’ve been talking about decentralization for a long time, as long as this government has been in existence, and we’ve successfully decentralized quite a number of positions, and we are going to do that again. Decentralization, or phase three, is a priority of this 17th Assembly. We are developing concrete policies and strategies for housing in the communities and office space in the communities, and we have identified the lead department, the lead Minister in the Department of Finance, and we will take a very active approach to decentralizing positions.
I’m glad the Premier is speaking about it being a planned and measured approach to devolution. I just want to get more about the planned and measured approach only because once we start establishing infrastructure like housing, more office spaces in the regions and the communities, then the plan is not just about plucking lives out of Yellowknife and sending them to the regions. I guess it’s about everybody being told up front that these jobs, these positions will eventually be in the communities. I know that there are lots of big deputy minister committees and everything on planning the move for April 1st, but at the same time, I just want to impress upon the Premier that we cannot lose the fact that we must grow the whole Northwest Territories.
That is exactly the approach that we’re taking. We feel that by moving programs and services out into the regions, we’ll be able to better serve the people of the Northwest Territories, and we have a very developed approach in how we do that and also in how we deal with affected employees. Also, we will be introducing… The Minister of Human Resources talked yesterday about our strategy for human resources in the regions, a Regional Recruitment Strategy, so we are approaching it on all fronts.
As we go through recruitment, I guess part of the strategy – I don’t know if it’s there – is that new employees must be informed that the potential for decentralization is there. Is that part of the Regional Recruitment Strategy as we move forward and hope to fill all these empty positions? Because I understand not all the Ottawa jobs are basically unfilled.
For sure, as we go forward with phase three, we will have a very detailed and structured plan so that nobody will be caught by surprise.
Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Final, short supplementary, Mr. Menicoche
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I know that in the past, there was some devolution work getting out to the communities, and during my last constituency tour, some of the smaller communities would still like to know more about devolution. Once we achieve, I guess, phase one, which is getting to April 1, 2014, making the transfers and doing all the legislation that’s there, I’m wondering if the Premier is looking at a second round of devolution to be explained to the communities and regions.
We have a Cabinet committee that will be working on decentralization, and at the appropriate time, will be going out and talking to people in the regions, because I know already when meeting with municipal governments and other organizations, they all have ideas on the kinds of programs and services that should be decentralized.
Thank you, Mr. McLeod. The Member for Range Lake, Mr. Dolynny.
