Thank you, Mr. Speaker. You're very generous, Mr. Speaker.
Today is a theme day for income assistance programs so I'll get the ball rolling and ask the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment what is the department's position on a universal basic income in the Northwest Territories? Thank you.
Thank you, Member from Range Lake. Minister of Education, Culture and Employment. I think I'm going to be calling on you a lot today.
Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, a program of that magnitude and of such a change in political direction of the government would need to come from this Legislative Assembly and would be something that would need to be found, I would say, within our business plans and also within the priorities of this government. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. So not a chance is what I'm hearing. That's disappointing. I think these programs are a way to save money, not spend more, and in a government that's looking for efficiencies, looking for cost savings, and more importantly looking to empower Northerners, these things would be great. So would the Minister reconsider this position or at least bring it forward in a forum where we can all discuss it and perhaps set a new direction for the Assembly? Thank you.
Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, there's some great reports out there and there are some that talk about the cost of some of these programs. There's two different kind of ways that people can deliver universal basic income. There's the universal basic income. There's the universal basic income way, which has got quite a significant price tag on it and puts it somewhere as a potential you know, anywhere from $500 million to $800 million. And there's also a negative income tax style of a guaranteed basic income that is out there that is slightly more cost effective, but it is still up there at over $80 million. So this would be a significant initiative and investment of this government and one that all of us would have to be on the same page of. And what I'm hearing from my colleagues on the other side of the House is definitely not everyone on the same page yet as far as this is concerned. So I think in order for the government to embark on such a journey, there would need to be some unity within this House first. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Well, Mr. Speaker, we don't have to do it all at once. I think that's imprudent. We should probably look at a pilot project. The two examples in Canada that have been universally successful have lifted people out of poverty, until they've been shut down by lack of funding, you know, were pilot projects. Can the Minister at least commit to exploring a pilot project? Thank you.
Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I love the idea of new ideas, and I like the idea of being able to explore that and talk about it and figure out what that might look like. So absolutely, I'm more than happy to sit down with the Member and explore that. I think that part of the conversation would have to be what does that look like and where would it be, where would it go, and would it be welcomed there as well. So I think there's a lot of conversation yet to come, and that would have to be with all the Members of this House, and I would be more than happy just with as with any subject, to sit down and speak to my colleague and really take the direction of caucus of what they want to see done. Thank you.
Thank you, Minister of Education, Culture and Employment. Final supplementary. Member from Range Lake.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, this could be a game changer. So I'm going to ask the Minister if she can bring it to the Council of Leaders. I think they would be best to tell us where their greatest needs are, where they think it should work. And if we get their buyin, we might be able to get some federal dollars and some bilateral support in making this happen. So can the Minister commit to getting it on the agenda the next Council of Leaders meeting? Thank you.
Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I'm not in control and neither is Cabinet of the agenda for Council of Leaders; however, if the Council of Leaders would like to see this on an upcoming agenda, I would absolutely support that and be more than happy to have this conversation. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Minister of.
Oral questions. Member from Yellowknife Centre.
