Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Last week, the GNWT announced their restorative balance plan which aims at tackling our mounting debt. This plan sets out a deficit reduction target of $150 million a year and $600 million over the fouryear period. With little economic development on the horizon, it is obvious that the government income will be low, remain flat. Therefore, these targets will have to be met primarily through budget cuts, but it's too early to get a clear picture of where those cuts will be and how they will be implemented. That's austerity and is not a priority for the GNWT 20th Assembly and does not come as a surprise. We are $1.6 billion in the hole and climbing and it should have stopped long ago yet, yes, it's true that the many of the circumstances that had inflated our deficits were beyond our control. However, the GNWT also missed a lot of obvious warning signs and critical opportunities to prevent us from getting into the mess we have today.
We know when our mines we are going to start oh, sorry, the mines are going to start closing but we never focus on pivoting towards a new development. Instead, we just keep on expanding the size of government. In the last five years alone, the size of the GNWT workforce grew by 25 percent, well outpacing our population growth; a significant portion of those government jobs being in senior management positions. In addition, the GNWT also struggled to keep major projects on time within their budget. Our unsustainable finances are due to top heavy administration, a structure that struggles to reign in the costs.
Now to turn to our finances, we must come up with a plan that could be hundreds of millions of dollars to cut in a few short years. The GNWT also is committed to more equitable responsive relationship with Indigenous governments. Unilaterally clawing back investments across the North is a direct conflict with any kind of honest nationtonation relationship. This is the same old colonial mantra of dictatorship and indifference with no place in our territory and future.
The communities I represent already have underfunded as it has been waiting too long for assistance they need. Tu NedheWiilideh receives a small, less than half a percent of the overall 2 percent budget. It may be time to do more with less but our approach to our deficit that cuts what little my communities receive denies Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous.
Unanimous consent granted
It may be time to do more with less but our approach to our deficit that cuts with what little my communities receive denies our priorities without addressing the root causes of our deficit is not is no real solution. We'll just end up in the same fiscal situation ten years from now except my people will have more and more houses to repair, more infrastructures to build in restoring the balanced plan. I hope to see more meaningful words in the balance. I have questions for the Finance Minister at the appropriate time. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Member from Tu NedheWiilideh. Members' statements. Member from Inuvik Boot Lake.
