Mr. Speaker, there is only a certain number of places within the Department of Justice that we have some flexibility in being able to make reductions to the budget. Every one of those areas, I expect, will meet with opposition from the ordinary Members. I can't think of any area where I can propose reductions without some strong opposition from ordinary Members. It poses a dilemma for this type of government that works on a consensus. We have to come to the realization that the amount of money we have been operating on is no longer there. We have to make some very critical choices. Choices mean that you have to hold your nose, so to speak, with things that you find objectionable because there is simply not the means to deliver the same level of service any longer. It is with this in mind, that we made the cuts that we have. It is because the amount of funding that is available is no longer there that we have to make the kind of reductions that we do. It is unfortunate that this is happening and it is unfortunate that we come to look at areas like aboriginal languages, which all of us wish we could support and even allocate additional resources to but, at this time, that is not possible. So we try to protect those things that are essential, which are the actual interpreter positions. We have eliminated one manager's position. We have reduced the number of training sessions that we do on an annual basis and we have eliminated one position; a person who works on terminology for the western part of the territory. We think these are the least damaging of the reductions that had to be made to the scope of the program at this time. Thank you.
Stephen Kakfwi on Question 413-12(7): Reason For Funding Reductions To Legal Interpreting Program
In the Legislative Assembly on April 6th, 1995. See this statement in context.
Further Return To Question 413-12(7): Reason For Funding Reductions To Legal Interpreting Program
Question 413-12(7): Reason For Funding Reductions To Legal Interpreting Program
Item 6: Oral Questions
April 5th, 1995
Page 858
See context to find out what was said next.