Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Mr. Minister.

Thank you, Mr. Minister. Mr. McLeod. General comments, I have Mr. Miltenberger on the list. Mr. Miltenberger.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, I do not argue with the need and the benefit to move the land claim and self-government negotiations along. What causes me concern as an MLA sitting here looking at government, is the apparent tendency for departments to come forward as if they were some sort of stovepipe, totally cut off from the rest of the government and they ask for more resources at a time, as I have indicated in my previous comments, where there are probably 50 to 60 positions sitting there because of the no layoff policy where resources could be reallocated.

It does not appear there is that kind of inter-departmental communication. I am still very clearly aware that the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs just agreed to defer seven percent cuts to the block funding in municipalities. At the same time, once again they are sitting here asking for more PYs. I would like an indication from the Minister, have they looked within government, and not just within their own department. Have they looked within government at under-utilized human resources that could be reallocated? Rather than just following the line of least resistance, which is coming back and asking for more money and more PYs, at a time when we are facing tight fiscal times? We are telling everyone outside of headquarters, outside of this rarefied atmosphere in this building, to be prepared for some belt-tightening. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Mr. Antoine.

Thank you, Mr. Minister. Mr. Handley.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. That is a pretty broad question in terms that it affects all departments, the whole government. The quick answer is yes. Certainly before we ask for new additional funding, given our fiscal situation, we do look across the government and make the decision on that basis. Mr. Miltenberger knows each department does do its own budget, to some degree, in a bit of a stove pipe. In the end it all has to come back to the Financial Management Board and that is where all of the pieces have to be put together. In this case, definitely, we have looked across government and have determined the money needed here does represent a new initiative that has to be found through new money.

Thank you, Mr. Handley. Mr. Miltenberger.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. While it is a broad question, it is just one specific department along with two others out of the 11 or so that are coming forward for new money, forced growth, new initiatives, new positions. Is the Minister telling me then, in fact, all the resources in human resources within government are currently and fully utilized? There are not 50 to 60 positions that are filled because of the no layoff policy, where there is potential to reallocate resources rather than just coming forward, asking for more money and having this number of positions occupied, but not utilized properly? Is that what the Minister is telling me, that they have done that survey and they can demonstrate that? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Mr. Miltenberger, we are dealing with the Minister responsible for Aboriginal Affairs and I think your line of questioning is more directed to the Minister responsible for Finance so I suggest you hold your question for the Minister responsible for Finance. Mr. Miltenberger.

Thank you for that direction, Mr. Chairman. I am assuming that the Minister responsible for Aboriginal Affairs is also a Member of Cabinet. As a Member of Cabinet would have taken part in the type of discussions that will directly affect how they are going to resource his department and resource his request for funds. I would expect, Mr. Chairman, that you would appreciate that is the focus of my question, I do not intend, as you state, to get into a general discussion with the Minister responsible for Finance. I want some indication from the Minister responsible for Aboriginal Affairs that they are looking the right way for all these resources that he is asking for today in this House. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Mr. Handley, as the questions are relating to the Minister responsible for Aboriginal Affairs, I will direct the questions to Mr. Antoine.

Thank you, Mr. Antoine. Mr. Miltenberger.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I have to get the Minister to explain that to me, because it makes no sense. If, in fact, they acknowledge that there are surplus positions, granted that these are specialized functions that the Minister is asking for, and I appreciate that, but there are under-utilized positions.

If there was a human resource strategy where these were identified, my suggestion is that government would have room to move. To start shuffling some of these many, many, many positions if they took the time and had the human resource strategy. That would negate the need for a department like Aboriginal Affairs to come forward having to ask for new positions.

In fact, they should be able to go and take the necessary steps, in a planned way, to make better use of their own human resources that are sitting there. That are being paid for, but are not properly utilized in a time of significant fiscal restraint, when we are telling municipalities to suck it up for seven percent here coming down the pipe. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. I do not know if that was a question or an answer. Mr. Antoine, did you want to respond to that?

Thank you, Mr. Antoine. I think we are dealing particularly with the Ministry of Aboriginal Affairs so I think we will keep the questions to that. Mr. Krutko.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. My question is similar to Mr. McLeod's question about process and why is it taking so long. Why is it so convoluted and complicated? There are so many different levels of bureaucracy that you have to go through now, just to get a decision made at the negotiating table. I, for one, have had the experience of being involved in many negotiation processes, from the Dene, Metis, the Gwich'in, the Sahtu.

Those processes certainly were not as complicated as they are today. Every time we wanted to negotiate a position or come to an agreement, it was usually done at the table. It seems now, because of the involvement of all the different departments, you are talking about Justice, you are talking about Municipal and Community Affairs, you are talking about Health and Social Services, I, for one, think that that may be causing a slow down in the whole negotiation process in the Northwest Territories.

I am wondering if the Minister has thought about or taken that into account. Is there a way to give the ability to the people at the negotiating table and try to streamline the decision-making process? I have heard this from the Dogrib, from the Gwich'in. Negotiation is a two-way street. You put a position forth, somebody else puts a different position and you try to meet in the middle. It seems like in the Gwich'in self-government process, they suggest things, but are always turned away. It seems like this government is the one that is holding them up to come up with new ideas and they want to keep the common process of governance in the Northwest Territories.

My personal view of governance in Northwest Territories is that it does not work. If it were working, we would not have the deficit situation we have. We would not have the social problems we have and something has to change. I would like to ask the Ministers what is each department doing to ensure that these negotiations are concluded in a fast pace? In addition, do the negotiators have the flexibility to make decisions at the table without having to come back every time they have to get an answer? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. Mr. Antoine.

Thank you, Mr. Antoine. Mr. Krutko.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I know you need the resources and people in place to do the job, but I am just wondering why do these positions have to be in Yellowknife? Since the negotiations are now broken down at the regional claims level, why are these people not working out of the regional areas that they are negotiating under?

I think that if this government got a little closer to the people, we could hear what the people are saying. I think it also applies to the people that are negotiating on behalf of this government. They have to get a feel for what the problems are that we are dealing with at the community and regional level. And also to deal with the people at the regional level.

If we put these positions at the regional centres, in the regional claims areas, then we will probably get more out of the negotiations and probably see more process. I am wondering why that has not been taken into consideration, if you are looking at five positions located in Yellowknife, and not in the regions?