Thank you, Mr. Speaker. On behalf of the Members of the Standing Committee on Infrastructure, I am pleased to provide our report on the review of the 1996-97 main estimates and departmental business plans.
Introduction
A recurring theme throughout the business plans of the departments in this envelope was one of devolution. Where the Government of the Northwest Territories used to be the most important provider of public services in the NWT, the trend now is towards the government being the coordinator of the delivery of those services. Transferring powers and programs to communities, privatizing services formerly provided by government, and developing user-pay systems for services still provided by government are all part of a new direction for the government.
Committee Members appreciated that they have had a degree of input into the development of the main estimates. Through the business plan review process, recommendations by the ordinary Members who sit on the standing committees have been incorporated into the business plans and budgets of all government departments. Given the critical impact of the measures taken in this budget, however, committee Members would like to see the process expanded to allow for public input during the review. Cuts had to be made; however, all Members would appreciate hearing now from our constituents where they would suggest further savings and reductions should occur.
The presentation of business plans and budget documents concerned committee Members. Documents were often delivered very late to Members, sometimes only as meetings with the relevant department were beginning. Documents were also subject to frequent changes, leading to some confusion. Members appreciate that the process was rushed due to the timing of the 1995 election, and that the novelty of this process was a factor in the ability of staff to produce timely documents. However, for the fall review of the 1997-98 business plans and budget, Members would like to see the following improvements:
- documents to be provided to Members well in advance of meetings, preferably a week or more;
- more consistent format among departmental business plans;
- when documents are updated, supplying only changed pages to replace, rather than wasting large amounts of paper on printing completely new versions;
- highlighting changes between updates; for example, red lining or shading.
Mr. Speaker, this concludes the general comments of the standing committee. During the review of the main estimates in Committee of the Whole, the committee will be making a detailed report on each department in the infrastructure envelope.
Motion To Receive Committee Report 2-13(3) And Move To Committee Of The Whole, Carried
That concludes the report of the Standing Committee on Infrastructure. Therefore, I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Nunakput, that the report of the Standing Committee on Infrastructure on the review of the 1996-97 main estimates, be received by the Assembly and moved into Committee of the Whole. Thank you.