Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, last Tuesday the Regular Members of the Standing Committee on Priorities and Planning issued a media release to give our view of the budgetary process now underway, and to propose some priorities for measures and public consultation. I would like to add that information to the record here by speaking of it. The government's media release of February 9, 2016 said, “The GNWT is committed to working closely with MLAs to identify practical solutions to the fiscal challenge,” and that “The GNWT will develop proposals and share them with MLAs for input prior to the preparation of business plans.”
Yet Regular Members are concerned that government has decided on a course of action, a concern that is exacerbated today when we hear the Finance Minister say he is not looking at any new taxes, $150 million in cuts, and a freeze on senior government salaries, none of which were agreed with by this side of the House. The Standing Committee on Priorities and Planning’s media release of February 16, 2016 called on government to ensure effective public engagement on government budgets to ensure spending and programs are aligned with the 18th Assembly's stated priorities, to create new sources of revenue, invest in infrastructure projects and economic incentive programs, and fund cost-saving efficiencies within government. The committee is asking the government to balance new revenue generation, program efficiencies, and cost-saving measures to ensure a change of course is not detrimental to our economy.
Key among these recommendations is the need for public consultation. The previous Finance Minister went to the public last fall on budget preparation. But note that he did not consider at that time how to increase revenues. The picture has changed since last fall, with the closure of Snap Lake and loss of the federal Territorial Formula Financing funding, to the tune of $10 million. Now is the time to consult, before the June offering of the full operating budget, and there is a model convenient to hand. The Government of Newfoundland and Labrador, faced with the recent crash in oil prices, moved swiftly to public consultation on budgetary measures. They recognized their fiscal situation was not temporary. I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement. Thank you.
---Unanimous consent granted
Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. They recognized their fiscal situation was not temporary and that before setting a direction that would be long-term, they would ask the citizens their views. They are asking citizens to identify a combination of measures to increase revenues, reduce expenditures, eliminate waste, and establish fiscal targets. Citizens have many choices for participation. They can comment on a discussion document, attend public discussion sessions and town hall meetings, host their own meetings, and make submissions online. In order to focus their comments, residents were asked to comment on three main questions:
What three things could government stop doing in order to save money?
What three new things could government do to raise money?
How can government be more innovative or efficient to provide quality services at lower costs?
These are the questions we need to ask the residents of the NWT, and since we can expect our fiscal situation to be as equally long-term as Newfoundland's, we need to build public support, ownership, and partnership in making our fiscal approach work. These questions align very well with the priorities called for in our committee's release. As this government points out and Newfoundland realized, our financial situation is not going to change in the short term. Government needs to move forward in partnership with civil society. It's not too late for consultation, and budgeting can't begin without it. I will have questions for the Minister of Finance. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Masi Members’ statements. Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yesterday I did some short eulogies for people that passed away in my riding. I'm going continue to do the same and finish those up.
[English translation not provided.] Today I would like to send my deepest condolences to the family of the late Noel Michael Francois, who sadly, passed away on November 14, 2015, more commonly known as Michael. Michael was born on August 30, 1982. He loved learning. He loved school and excelled in math, and did very well in calculus with a mechanical engineering program he completed at NAIT. Michael loved his boys, his parents, sisters, family. Michael's boys will follow in Michael's footsteps. They both excel in math and enjoy hockey, and are very sweet, well-mannered sons. Before becoming ill, Michael enjoyed working as a math and science tutor for the after-school program down at the Ndilo school. He planned to go back to school to complete his engineering program. He enjoyed playing the bass and he was always an Oilers fan, no matter what. He would have enjoyed Connor McDavid. Michael leaves behind his children Isaiah and Hayden Boucher-Francois; his parents Mike and Mary Jane Francois; his sisters Diane, Jackie, Mary Ann, Stella, Berna, Bernice, Helen; and his brother Sean. He also leaves behind many nieces and nephews who loved him, and he loved them, and cousins and friends across the North.
I would like to send my deepest condolences to the Boucher-Beaulieu family of the late Isadore Boniface Boucher-Beaulieu of Fort Resolution. He was born September 20, 1988 and passed away February 6, 2015. Isadore enjoyed playing video games and riding around with his friends. He was a very kind-hearted young man who suffered from cancer since 2000. Even though he was sick, he did not show it. He always put his friends and family first. He was a very strong young man who did not show any pain. Isadore is survived by his mother Catherine Boucher and his father Leon Beaulieu; brother Brendan; sisters Elizabeth, Leanne, and Isabelle; and two nieces, Emily and Piper. Isadore will be sadly missed by all his friends and family in Fort Resolution, and all over the North.
Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.
