Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in a statement last month, I advised Members that we would be restructuring our organization to save administrative costs, to provide focus to the priorities of this government and to make government more effective for the people that it serves.
The restructuring of government comes as a direct result of both our budget planning process and the priorities that have been established by this government.
Today, I am announcing a number of renewed ministerial and senior management assignments that will place this government in a better position to achieve the objectives and priorities that we have established in cooperation with the standing committees of this House.
Effective Monday, March 25th:
The Honourable Stephen Kakfwi will become Minister of Economic Development and Tourism, Minister of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources. Mr. Kakfwi will maintain his responsibility for the Department of Renewable Resources and national constitutional affairs.
Mr. Speaker, Mr. Kakfwi is being tasked with the responsibility for amalgamating the three key departments responsible for sustainable development.
The new department will have the prime responsibility for developing and implementing strategies to meet this government's priority of sustainable development and job creation.
The Honourable Kelvin Ng maintains his existing responsibility for Health and Social Services and will become the Minister of Justice.
Mr. Speaker, we all know that the social problems facing the Northwest Territories are many and that the cost of providing these programs is climbing relentlessly. With responsibility for both Health and Social Services and Justice, Mr. Ng can better coordinate this government's efforts to deal with our social problems.
The Deputy Premier, the Honourable Goo Arlooktoo, maintains his responsibility for Public Works and Services and will become the Minister responsible for the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation. Mr. Speaker, these responsibilities have been combined under one Minister because of the similar functions of these departments.
Mr. Speaker, I have spoken many times over the past number of months about the importance for this government and for northerners to gain control over northern resources. The negotiation of a northern accord on oil and gas and minerals remains a priority of this government. I will continue to be the lead Minister in these negotiations. To coordinate our efforts to deal with federal Ministers on this and other issues, the responsibility for intergovernmental affairs will be transferred to my office. Mr. Speaker, all other ministerial assignments will remain the same.
I have consulted with my Cabinet colleagues concerning deputy minister assignments to ensure that we match the skills of our senior managers to the job that must be done. The following changes are being made, effective Monday, March 25th:
Andrew Gamble will leave Transportation to become the deputy minister responsible for the consolidation of the departments of Economic Development and Tourism, Renewable Resources and Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources;
Penny Ballantyne will move from the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation to assist the Honourable Manitok Thompson in implementing the community empowerment initiative of this government as the deputy minister of Municipal and Community Affairs;
Bob Doherty will move from Public Works and Services to become deputy minister of Transportation;
Ken Lovely will leave Health and Social Services to become deputy minister of Public Works and Services;
David Ramsden will move from Municipal and Community Affairs to become deputy minister of Health and Social Services;
Joe Handley will leave Renewable Resources to become the president of the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation;
Don Cooper, presently director for the Department of Justice's legal division, will become the deputy minister of that department; and, Bob McLeod, presently assistant deputy minister of Renewable Resources will become acting deputy minister of that department until it is consolidated with Economic Development and Tourism and Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources.
Mr. Speaker, these changes are significant. They task individual Ministers and Cabinet in a better position to work with the standing committees of this House to accomplish the priorities of this government. Thank you.
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