Debates of October 26, 2006 (day 16)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wanted to utilize my Member’s statement today to speak about the Government of the Northwest Territories developing a macroeconomic policy framework for the NWT. The Minister of Finance stood up in the House the other day extolling the virtues of this type of policy shop located in the Department of Finance. Interestingly enough, Mr. Speaker, the Bureau of Statistics was relocated last year to the Department of Executive. I find it a shocking coincidence that the Department of Finance all of a sudden thought it was such a great idea to develop a macroeconomic policy division.

It really is amazing how we can develop a macroeconomic policy division and hire three more employees without knowing what exactly we are dealing with. Mr. Speaker, I would like to know why we are pursuing this initiative now.

I would like to point out some facts for the Minister and for the government. The last time I checked, we didn’t have a resource revenue deal or devolution deal with Ottawa. We receive $850 million directly or indirectly from the federal government out of our $1.1 billion budget. We have a very limited control, next to no control, over resource development. We are limited in the areas of taxation, in spending, debt and investment. Mr. Speaker, we are on a fixed income here. These are the facts. Just last week, I questioned the government on the issue of the $200 million leaving our territorial economy every year because of over 2,000 migrant workers we have here in the NWT. You add to this all of the cash that leaves the North for contract work performed on behalf of joint ventures. Mr. Speaker, it’s just very, very disturbing.

Our economy is plain and simply just not real. Like I mentioned earlier, all the control is in Ottawa and we heard the Premier yesterday state that resource revenue and devolution is the government’s top priority and so it should be. We have higher priorities. The development of this macroeconomic policy division should be halted immediately. How can you develop a policy framework and allow employees to begin working on what will amount to be hypothetical scenarios? Put the focus on getting a deal done with Ottawa. When we do get control then and only then should we entertain a macroeconomic policy shop. Mahsi.

---Applause