Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Some of the comments I want to make with respect to concerns on the Department of Public Works have been echoed by the chairman of the standing committee on finance. But, at the same time, I want to indicate some concerns with regard to the budget that is being proposed.
My main concern, Mr. Chairman, is the fact that, quite precisely, the government has been telling this Legislative Assembly that there is no funding and that we are in a time of fiscal restraint. We have all come to acknowledge and accept that and have tried to deal with the financial position that we are in. But, at the same time, it appears that if you look at this department's budget, when you take into consideration the amount of funding they are using for renovations and the amount of funding they are using for purchasing of vehicles, it is basically serving the organization, which is the government; you look at probably 51 per cent of this particular budget being utilized in either building upgrades or renovation upgrades, which in itself takes 40 per cent. Mobile and other equipment is 13 per cent. Fifty-three per cent of this budget is to either purchase vehicles or to do office renovations. I am concerned with the way they are prioritizing their plans on how to address the needs of the North.
We have many different programs in the government that are going to be facing cuts. We are looking at being scrutinized to a degree because of the cost. Yet, the department is allowed to look at renovating office space and purchasing vehicles for civil servants. What I am concerned about is the fact that this department is being, to quite a degree, self-serving of the government for civil servants. Here we are telling the people of the North that there is no money to purchase this or to do that, but it is okay for us to buy new vehicles for our civil servants to drive around. It is okay for us to be self-righteous and renovate office buildings to suit our needs. I think this is the wrong type of message to send out to the people of the North. I think it is wrong for the government to do that.
I have indicated to the standing committee on finance that when you look at the Department of Public Works, I find that a good portion of their budget, even though they stimulate the economy and assist the contractors accordingly -- and I believe everybody recognizes that -- is being self-serving. This is the concern I have. I recognize the Minister has some changes to office renovations. He indicated that he will consider cutting back by $200,000, and he should be commended for that, but at the same time I do not know whether $200,000 is really enough when you look at the total amount of your office renovations as we go into the details of the budget. You do office renovations only in Yellowknife, which is $750,000. So $200,000 is just a small portion. When you look at your total office renovations, I think they come to $1.8 million. What portion is $200,000?
I am concerned that if we are going to do things such as send a signal out to the people of the North that there is no money to be able to address issues that we face in the North and that we are going to spend money at the same time to address concerns of the civil servants who have jobs when many people in the North do not have jobs, I believe we are failing into a wrong type of mode in how we want to serve the people of the North.
I do want to indicate to the Minister that I am still concerned by the fact that 53 per cent of his budget is to be self-serving. I recognize that he cut $200,000, but I still think the 52 per cent of his budget addresses the civil servants and I do not believe it is serving the people's needs. It is addressing the people's needs of the Government of the NWT, but not the people of the North. I do want him to be fully aware that I am still concerned with the budget that he is presenting to the Assembly.