Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in my Member's statement today, I want to talk about funding for NGOs. Like my colleagues, Mr. Speaker, I found the pre-budget process to be very valuable. Of course, I hear from my constituents on a daily basis, but to hear the same message repeated again and again from many groups from practically every community really brings the message home.
The message, Mr. Speaker, is that NGOs need better funding arrangements so that they can do what they do best, which is provide social support and services to the communities that they serve.
For years, Mr. Speaker, NGOs have been kept on a very short funding tether. Although this government recognizes the crucial work they do in the communities, indeed depends on them as a service delivery vehicle within the integrated services delivery model -- despite this, funding is doled out so that the NGOs have their hands tied.
One of the major problems, Mr. Speaker, is the challenge NGOs face hiring staff. Key positions in important agencies sometimes remain empty. How can they compete, Mr. Speaker? How can they compete with the big players when the big players can offer so much more to employees? The reality is that they can't compete. Staff turnover is a problem. It is a frequent occurrence that staff are trained for a position only to see them leave for better pay and benefits elsewhere, and this understandably so.
Recently, the UNW and the GNWT signed a new Collective Agreement that provides a three percent salary increase over four years. NGOs have not seen this kind of increase to their funding arrangements to reflect increased pay levels in other sectors.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to see this government set up a funding arrangement for NGOs to provide services on behalf of the GNWT that includes automatic escalators that respond to increases and reflects the increases that are paid to the UNW under their Collective Agreement. An automatic escalator would enable NGOs to provide a salary increase for their staff to be somewhat competitive with the GNWT and other employers. This would be a valuable tool to recruit and retain the staff that they need to provide the services that they provide so well.
Mr. Speaker, if the GNWT truly stands behind the integrated service delivery model, they should step up to the plate and provide adequate and fair funding for their partners, our NGOs. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
---Applause