Mr. Speaker, I rise to express the concerns shared by the Members of the Ordinary Members' Caucus regarding the off-loading of federal responsibilities to this government. Over the past ten years we have seen a number of federal responsibilities transferred to this government, including inter-territorial highways, Baffin health services, NWT health services, forestry and fire suppression, Arctic B and C airports and a northern scientific resource centre.
Mr. Speaker, along with these responsibilities came resources. We had facilities, program services, person years and, of course, finances transferred to us. We understood that what we were given represented the amount that the federal government had required to run the programs. It seems that when this government inherited these program responsibilities, it also inherited the program deficiencies.
We receive funds each year from the federal government, and these monies are escalating or increased annually in a form of monies received under the formula financing agreement. Are these funds actually adequate to operate the program? The Members of the Ordinary Members' Caucus do not believe so. Just look at the dilemma this government is in with respect to northern highways. Northerners rely heavily on air transportation and to a lesser extent on road travel. Yet since taking over responsibilities for highways and Arctic A, B and C airports we do not have a proper transportation infrastructure in place.
Both the Beatty report and the government's own transportation strategy point to this inadequacy. Although the federal government still has responsibility for construction of new roads, I have yet to hear any firm commitment from them to start building.
Look also at the problems this government faces regarding the provision of health care services. Taxpayer's dollars are now being spent on a legal dispute involving the interpretation of the health transfer agreement. Did the GNWT acquire the responsibility to pay this for the health care of the Indian and Inuit people? A clear federal responsibility in the bargain.