Merci, Monsieur le President. In the last sitting, I raised a number of concerns with the review of the Fiscal Responsibility Policy. Apparently, that policy has now been revised effective April 1 although a thorough search of GNWT websites could not locate the revised version until yesterday.
The finance minister said in March that there was "fairly detailed" engagement with standing committee. I stated that the work we did as Regular MLAs on what was given to us is some of the finest feedback in my more than seven years as an MLA. Unfortunately, the public will probably never get to see that feedback and the recommendations we made. In my view, almost all of our advice was soundly rejected by the Minister. The Minister rejected something as basic as providing an opportunity for public engagement. It seems the Minister views the Fiscal Responsibility Policy as an internal policy and apparently not worthy of public input. However, the Minister revealed that creditrating agencies did get a "checkin". It appears the review was aimed at appeasing the creditrating agencies not the dulyelected MLAs or the public.
MLAs have politely asked and recommended transparent reporting on compliance with the Fiscal Responsibility Policy and consequences, if only a remediation plan. We have asked for inyear reporting and greater accountability that was again rejected in Cabinet's response to the most recent committee report on the public accounts. I have expressed concerns about the growing use of P3 financing for large, and often questionable, capital projects and the need for greater disclosure of the impacts on our operating budgets to no avail. I will have questions for the finance minister later today. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Member for Frame Lake. Members' statements. Member for Nunakput.
