Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise today to speak about my concerns regarding the decentralization initiatives announced Tuesday by the Government Leader. I have tried, during my short time in this House, to give this cabinet the benefit of the doubt in the planning for the restructuring of northern government. I understand that the job they have is very difficult, and tough decisions are required. Mr. Speaker, I can bide my time no longer.
During the last Assembly, several ordinary Members spoke passionately about the seemingly unequal distribution of money for capital projects and other programs throughout the NWT and, in particular, the Kitikmeot Region. Sadly, this cabinet seems to be continuing this trend. The recent decentralization of government programs ignored the two most economically disadvantaged regions of the NWT; the North Slave and the Kitikmeot. Clearly it is these regions that require the most benefits derived from the decentralization of government programs.
Mr. Speaker, I do not want to sound opposed to any mining venture in my region; I simply say that the people of the Kitikmeot want to build a strong and self-sustaining economy that can survive downturns in the economy. We cannot rely solely on the discovery of minerals that we may have or that may or may not be developed in the future.