Three-quarters of a million dollars a day is what's going out of here in taxes and royalties from the diamonds and the oil and gas that we need a share of. We're not getting it. Ottawa takes it away arbitrarily in programs that really make a difference to people in our communities and on our front line without talking to us, Mr. Speaker, and that's the part that really, really goes against the grain here, especially in this consensus system. We're ready to take some bad news and take our share of working for a better Canada, but this is not the way to go about it.

Mr. Speaker, there is a number of cuts that we're going to take here. Members have spoken about it today; I've spoken about it in some previous ones. A particularly difficult one that we are going to see considerable ripple from is the loss of the tourism, the GST advantage the tourism packages have now. We will be increasing the non-competitiveness of Canada's tourism product by 6 percent as of April 1st if this one goes through. Mr. Speaker, Ottawa recorded a $6.7 billion surplus so far this year, and yet they're taking away $1 billion worth of very valuable front-line programming, $1 million of it here in the Northwest Territories. I will not stand for a download, Mr. Speaker.

I will not accept that this government, this territorial government, which is not even getting a share of the resources from our own ground, has to come in and take up the slack that the federal government arbitrarily takes out from underneath us. That is not responsible. I will not take that position; not for a moment.

The message in the motion is for our government to press hard...

...with Ottawa...

...for restoration of these cuts, and not to put anything else before us until we've got a deal in place for our resources,...

...an agreement-in-principle that we need before the next federal budget, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. Braden. To the motion. I'll allow Mr. Lafferty to wrap up the motion and debate. Mr. Lafferty.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. I would like to take this opportunity to thank the Members for their full support of this motion that I brought forward today. I think there is a strong desire for a proactive approach by this government, by the Members around this table, on these federal cuts. It's time that this government made this a priority. We always talk about it's the federal government's responsibility. It's not. It's our responsibility in the Northwest Territories. We stand here talking on behalf of 43,000 people living in the Northwest Territories. We're the voice for those people. Let's put an action in place where we can work with the communities so the program continues, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, at the same time, it's time that we stop allowing southerners to fly over us, taking over the northern jobs. Let's invest in these individuals that fall through the cracks, as I've indicated earlier, and let's invest in them for them to achieve their dreams. At the same time, those dreams, our dreams, will be fulfilled as well.

Mr. Speaker, we have an opportunity here today to change that, working side by side with Cabinet and the Members at this table here. Let's support in investing the NWT Legislative Council and other NGOs that my colleagues have outlined, so we can see positive results

sooner than later, Mr. Speaker. Simply put, let's invest in our communities where it's really needed.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. To the motion.

Question is being called. All those in favour? All those opposed? Motion is carried.

---Carried

---Applause

Motions. First reading of bills. Second reading of bills. Consideration in Committee of the Whole of bills and other matters: Bill 13, with Mr. Ramsay in the chair.

Thank you, committee. I'd like to ask, what is the wish of committee? Mr. Lafferty.

Mahsi, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, I move that we report progress.

Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. Motion to report progress. The motion is not debatable. All those in favour? All those opposed? Thank you. I'll now rise and report progress.

Could I have the report of Committee of the Whole please, Mr. Ramsay.

Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. Motion is on the floor. Do we have a seconder? The honourable Member for Tu Nedhe, Mr. Villeneuve. Motion is on the floor. Motion is in order. All those in favour? Opposed? The motion is carried.

---Carried

Third reading of bills. Honourable Member for Kam Lake, Mr. Ramsay.