Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to raise some points on a policy which this government is adopting. This policy is being called decentralization. It is called decentralization because some positions are being moved out of Yellowknife. I know that this is a sore point for the people and Members of Yellowknife. I would like to point out that it is also a sore point for the communities that are not the centre of each region. Mr. Antoine and other Members have made reference to this.

Between sessions I was able to talk to a number of people from hamlet councils, regional and community organizations mostly in the two communities I represent, Baker Lake and Arviat.

What is being called decentralization by this government is not decentralization. It is recentralization of positions into regional centres. The present regional centres are: Inuvik; Cambridge Bay; Fort Smith; Rankin Inlet and Iqaluit. These are the five communities to which the majority of these positions are going. To me, that is recentralization, not decentralization. It is giving opportunities where there is already much economic activity. What are the communities which are not regional centres getting? Nothing, they are getting just token positions, as in Baker Lake.

I will use as an example a position which was moved from Baker Laker two years ago, which was the position of the regional arts and crafts officer under the Department of Economic Development and Tourism. That position, rather than being moved to Rankin Inlet, should have been moved to Arviat where the real need is. There is much higher unemployment in that community per capita than in other communities in the region.

Mr. Speaker, I for one, would like to see real decentralization in the transfer of more of these positions to the communities that really need the employment opportunities, such as Arviat. To me, that would be real decentralization of this government and not recentralization. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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