This is page numbers 275 - 301 of the Hansard for the 12th Assembly, 5th Session. The original version can be accessed on the Legislative Assembly's website or by contacting the Legislative Assembly Library. The word of the day was federal.

Topics

Item 9: Replies To Budget Address
Item 9: Replies To Budget Address

Page 290

Michael Ballantyne Yellowknife North

Thank you, Madam Speaker...and he talks to a packed house.

---Laughter

I have looked forward to responding to the budget speech as a Member of the Legislative Assembly. I feel it is an important opportunity for MLAs to present their views about government policy and direction.

I have heard criticism in the past that the Standing Committee on Finance report was either based too much on constituency concerns or too personalized in its approach. Members of the committee agreed that this committee report would be based on broad policy themes, and we hoped that it would result a in productive debate and tangible results. The government would acknowledge the concerns of Members and would be able to articulate their direction and strategy in a way that would gain Assembly and public support. That is what a budget debate is all about.

Successful governments build a broad base of consensus, lay out a clear philosophy and strategy. New Brunswick is a good example. Frank McKenna knows exactly where he is taking his province. He has found a niche where he can build on his province's strengths. A well thought out strategy puts together the many pieces of a complex puzzle that leads to economic revival. It includes high technology and the information highway, tax regimes, education, training, welfare reform, brilliant salesmanship, a totally positive message and great political skills. I think the NWT has a lot to learn from New Brunswick. If we are able to rise above our own differences, we would have a great package to sell.

The budget before us presents many good concepts. We have a hard-working Premier, even though she seems a bit defensive at times. She still has considerable public popularity. She is even more popular than Bob Rae in Ontario. We have a very competent Finance Minister, and when I just listened to the federal budget, he seems to have done a pretty good job in protecting the interests of the Northwest Territories. We have a number of energetic and capable Ministers who do have the ability to get things done. The Standing Committee on Finance wants the government to succeed and we are confident that our suggestions will help the government succeed.

In a nutshell, here is my view of what the Standing Committee on Finance is saying to the government. The government must clearly state its main priorities and devote the energy and resources in the time remaining to a manageable number of key objectives.

Secondly, the central agencies have perhaps become too powerful and the important checks and balances between line departments and central agencies have been reduced. I feel that the real policy-making and political strategy role of the Cabinet and its Ministers has been inevitably diminished as a result. Ways should be found to open up the system to better encourage innovation and exchange of ideas, while keeping the positive aspects that reorganization has brought in making the organization more cohesive.

It is very difficult for Cabinet to focus on priorities, policies or political ramifications when they collectively plough through a large agenda. Most governments set up specialized Cabinet committees to deal with these issues. For example, there could be a political strategy committee consisting of the House Leader and two Ministers. The support staff could be the Secretary to the Cabinet, the Principal Secretary, the Legislative Coordinator and the Press Secretary, or whatever combination the Premier is comfortable with, to meet once a week and plan political strategy for Cabinet decisions dealing with the House, the standing committees and with the public. I think with that sort of committee we wouldn't have the problem we had with the labour study.

Right now, mining is a hot subject. Perhaps there should be a committee chaired by the Minister of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources, with the Minister of Intergovernmental and Aboriginal Affairs, the Premier and the Finance Minister, to ensure that the inevitable conflicts are ironed out and aboriginal groups are kept involved, that the environment is protected and that the strategy fits into the overall strategic objectives of the government.

Income support reform, housing and education are all examples of where there could be committees but, again, it is very important that the government decide its priorities and then spend their energy concentrating on those priorities.

The financial picture over the last two years has been a lot better than the worst-case scenarios that were tossed around, however, the Finance Minister has done a good job in protecting our overall surplus, and I am sure that he will attempt to continue with that trend. I think everybody here must recognize, though, that our future fiscal position is very vulnerable and everyone must realize that as the federal government tries to wrestle down its debt and its deficit, it will become increasingly challenging to maintain our present financial situation. Outstanding issues such as health costs, housing cuts, pay equity, land claim implementation and the cost of division could play havoc with our fiscal situation. The Standing Committee on Finance has said and reiterated in this report that all outstanding financial issues should be brought together in one coordinated package, and sold to the federal government as a means to lessen our dependence on Ottawa to provide political and fiscal stability in the period leading up to division and beyond.

Right now, housing is in a crisis situation and the Standing Committee on Finance agrees that the government should deal with it as a priority item. We feel that the Housing Minister has tried his very best up until now to address the problem, but we feel that it is probably time that he needs the housing issue put into the package with the full support of the Government Leader and the Cabinet, if he is to be successful.

In the long term, we feel very strongly that education must be

the number one priority of government. Our recommendation, as the standing committee, of making excellence the philosophical underpinning of education, we believe will lead us to provide an education system second to none for all of our students. They have to be competitive with anyone, anywhere, in a rapidly shrinking world.

The recommendations made by the Standing Committee on Finance should be viewed as positive input and a strong indication that Members want the government to succeed. At the end of this term, all Members will be judged, not by government reorganization, not by strategies or studies, but by concrete results. There is no doubt in my mind that the present government is operating in an extremely difficult political and financial climate, nationally as well as in the Northwest Territories. Sometimes I don't think that reality has sunk in. Division itself poses a monster challenge. Regional aspirations, self-government negotiations and treaty negotiations all complicate the political landscape. I feel we must get our act together and resolve our regional differences. In the future, both east and west must speak with one strong voice and provide a practical and cost-efficient form of government in each territory that can protect the interests of northerners in an increasingly competitive and unsympathetic world.

The federal government must recognize that Northwest Territories defies all comparisons with the rest of Canada. We administer one third of the country. Nunavut and the new western territory will probably be the last two new political jurisdictions created in this country's history. We are leaders in the world in circumpolar relationships and language legislation. We are, by far, the most enlightened, in forging new relationships between native and non-native societies. It may not be enough for many people in the north, but for the first time in the history of this country, aboriginal people form a majority in a Canadian Legislative Assembly and a Canadian Cabinet and today sit as equals at First Ministers' conferences, at Ministers' conferences and in the boardrooms of corporate Canada. We are the guardians of a treasure house of renewable and non-renewable resources, diamonds, fur, fresh water, oil and gas. More importantly, we benefit from the culture of proud aboriginal people who have lived here for centuries and have much to teach Canada about life and about living.

The north defines Canada, the splendour of its beauty, the diversity of its cultures and the promise of its future. Surely the federal government must see that we are different. We can't be lumped into a narrow Ottawa perspective. The real issue isn't that the $963 million we get from Ottawa is too much. The real issue is that it only costs each Canadian $34.74 a year to look after one-third of Canada, a little more than a carton of cigarettes in Quebec and a little less than a carton of cigarettes in Yellowknife. An empire for $34.74 a year. We can tell Mr. Martin that he has himself one heck of a deal. Thank you very much.

---Applause

Item 9: Replies To Budget Address
Item 9: Replies To Budget Address

Page 291

The Speaker

Thank you. Item 9, replies to budget address. Item 10, petitions. The honourable Member for High Arctic, Mr. Pudluk.

Item 10: Petitions
Item 10: Petitions

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Ludy Pudluk High Arctic

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I am not really pleased to make this petition at this time. Petition No. 4-12(5), we the undersigned want a plebiscite on the liquor control in Resolute Bay. Out of the 37 signatures, five of them are not eligible because they do not reside in the north. There are actually 32 signatures that are eligible. Thank you.

Item 10: Petitions
Item 10: Petitions

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The Speaker

Thank you. Item 10, petitions. Item 11, reports of standing and special committees. Item 12, reports of committees on the review of bills. Item 13, tabling of documents. The honourable Member for High Arctic, Mr. Pudluk.

Item 13: Tabling Of Documents
Item 13: Tabling Of Documents

February 21st, 1994

Page 291

Ludy Pudluk High Arctic

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Tabled Document 24-12(5) is a letter sent to me on January 27, 1994, from the Polaris Mine concerning their drinking water in Little Cornwallis Island. Thank you.

Item 13: Tabling Of Documents
Item 13: Tabling Of Documents

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The Speaker

Thank you. Item 13, tabling of documents. Item 14, notices of motion. The honourable Member for Yellowknife Centre, Mr. Lewis.

Brian Lewis Yellowknife Centre

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I give notice that, on Thursday, February 24, 1994, I will move the following motion:

I move, seconded by the honourable Member for High Arctic, that Mr. Fred Koe, the honourable Member for Inuvik, be appointed as a Member of the Advisory Committee on Social Housing.

The Speaker

Thank you. Item 15, notices of motions for first reading of bills. Item 16, motions. Item 17, first reading of bills. Item 18, second reading of bills. Item 19, consideration in committee of the whole of bills and other matters: Bill 1, Appropriation Act, No. 2, 1994-95; Committee Report 2-12(5), Review of the 1994-95 Main Estimates; Minister's Statement 5-12(5), Session Business; Tabled Document 1-12(5), Towards an NWT Mineral Strategy; Tabled Document 2-12(5), Building and Learning Strategy; Tabled Document 3-12(5), Towards a Strategy to 2010: A Discussion Paper; and, Tabled Document 11-12(5), First Annual Report of the Languages Commissioner of the NWT for the Year 1992-93, with Mr. Lewis in the chair. Thank you.

Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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The Chair Brian Lewis

I will call the committee to order. Yesterday, we were on Bill 1 and the committee report connected with that bill. What is the wish of the committee? Mr. Dent.

Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 292

Charles Dent

Charles Dent Yellowknife Frame Lake

Mr. Chairman, I would like to recommend the committee continue its consideration of Bill 1 and Committee Report 2-12(5), Review of the 1994-95 Main Estimates, and continue on with the consideration of the Department of the Executive budget with Mr. Kakfwi.

Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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The Chair Brian Lewis

That is a recommendation. Agreed?

Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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Some Hon. Members

Agreed.

---Agreed

Bill 1: Appropriation Act, No. 2, 1994-95Committee Report 2-12(5): Review Of The 1994-95 Main Estimates
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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Some Hon. Members

Department Of Executive

Intergovernmental And Aboriginal Affairs

Bill 1: Appropriation Act, No. 2, 1994-95Committee Report 2-12(5): Review Of The 1994-95 Main Estimates
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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The Chair Brian Lewis

All right. We are on page 02-41, Intergovernmental and Aboriginal Affairs. We are still with general comments. Does anybody have any general comments? All right, do you want to look at some figures? We are on page 02-41, Intergovernmental and Aboriginal Affairs, there is an amount of O & M, $3.975 million. Agreed?

Bill 1: Appropriation Act, No. 2, 1994-95Committee Report 2-12(5): Review Of The 1994-95 Main Estimates
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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Some Hon. Members

Agreed.

---Agreed

Bill 1: Appropriation Act, No. 2, 1994-95Committee Report 2-12(5): Review Of The 1994-95 Main Estimates
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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The Chair Brian Lewis

Next page on page 02-42, details of grants and contributions. Grants, $250,000. Mr. Dent.

Bill 1: Appropriation Act, No. 2, 1994-95Committee Report 2-12(5): Review Of The 1994-95 Main Estimates
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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Charles Dent

Charles Dent Yellowknife Frame Lake

Mr. Chairman, I have a number of questions for the Minister about some of these grants. Under what is now the IAA grants program, could the Minister advise where the $10,000 that was distributed in 1993-94 was distributed to and where was the $292,000 distributed in 1992-93? Could we get a listing of where those amounts went, please?

Bill 1: Appropriation Act, No. 2, 1994-95Committee Report 2-12(5): Review Of The 1994-95 Main Estimates
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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The Chair Brian Lewis

Mr. Kakfwi, do you have that kind of detail, or do you need to take the witness table?

Bill 1: Appropriation Act, No. 2, 1994-95Committee Report 2-12(5): Review Of The 1994-95 Main Estimates
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Stephen Kakfwi

Stephen Kakfwi Sahtu

I'm sorry, could you tell me the amounts again?

Bill 1: Appropriation Act, No. 2, 1994-95Committee Report 2-12(5): Review Of The 1994-95 Main Estimates
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The Chair Brian Lewis

Mr. Dent, would you repeat the question please?

Bill 1: Appropriation Act, No. 2, 1994-95Committee Report 2-12(5): Review Of The 1994-95 Main Estimates
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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Charles Dent

Charles Dent Yellowknife Frame Lake

Mr. Chairman, am I correct in that we are dealing with page 2-42?

Bill 1: Appropriation Act, No. 2, 1994-95Committee Report 2-12(5): Review Of The 1994-95 Main Estimates
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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The Chair Brian Lewis

Yes.

Bill 1: Appropriation Act, No. 2, 1994-95Committee Report 2-12(5): Review Of The 1994-95 Main Estimates
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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Charles Dent

Charles Dent Yellowknife Frame Lake

Okay, on page 02-42 we have IAA grants program. In 1993-94 the revised forecast is showing $10,000 and in the 1992-93 actuals we are shown $292,000. My question is, could we get a list of the distribution of the $10,000 in 1993-94 and the distribution in 1992-93, please?

Bill 1: Appropriation Act, No. 2, 1994-95Committee Report 2-12(5): Review Of The 1994-95 Main Estimates
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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The Chair Brian Lewis

Could you get that, Mr. Kakfwi?

Bill 1: Appropriation Act, No. 2, 1994-95Committee Report 2-12(5): Review Of The 1994-95 Main Estimates
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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Stephen Kakfwi

Stephen Kakfwi Sahtu

Yes, Mr. Chairman. Could I get my staff to join me to provide that detail? I don't have it here.