Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I am pleased to present the 2006-2007 Main Estimates for the Legislative Assembly. As was the case last year, the proposed operating expenses for the Legislative Assembly for the upcoming fiscal year are characterized by fiscal restraint. A total of $14.54 million in expenditures is proposed for 2006-2007 compared to $14.48 million last year. This represents a 0.6 percent increase. This increase was due largely to forced growth expenditures and was mitigated by reductions in a number of categories, most notably in the financial support provided to statutory officers of the House.
In response to the general fiscal restraint exercise undertaken by the government this year, the Board of Management felt a responsibility to again look at its own operations for sources of potential reduction and savings. Among these is an additional $25,000 reduction in the Assembly's travel budget and a $70,000 reduction in the budgets of the Assembly's statutory officers, most notably in the budget of the Official Languages Commissioner and the Equal Pay Commissioner.
Funding for the Electoral Boundaries Commission and the Independent Commission to Review Members' Compensation and Benefits was also reduced, as most of the work for these commissions will be completed in the current fiscal year.
Despite the climate of fiscal restraint, the Assembly is moving forward with a number of important initiatives that will improve the level of service to Members and promote the importance of our institution. There is $35,000 earmarked this year for a Legislative Assembly Outreach Program modelled upon a successful initiative in the province of Manitoba. The program will see the Speaker and MLAs travel to schools in small communities throughout the Territories with the mace to promote the importance of public government and the vital role of MLAs.
As you know, extensive public input was gathered when our mace was first being designed. Since its completion, however, it's never left the capital. This initiative will allow the residents of the NWT, particularly those in small and remote communities, to see the mace up close and learn a little bit about the work that is done in this House and by all MLAs.
A major priority for the Board of Management this coming year will be to find a long-term and comprehensive solution to the Assembly's broadcasting requirements. In a jurisdiction as long and diverse as ours, it is absolutely
critical that all our residents have adequate and equal access to the proceedings of our Assembly. The loss of APT coverage is an unfortunate reality. However, with every loss comes an opportunity for renewal. The interim measures put in place during this session indicate that alternative forms of broadcasting do exist. The introduction of audio and video web casting during this sitting puts our Assembly on the cutting edge of broadcasting technology. It is not enough, however. Next week, I, in cooperation with the Speakers of Nunavut and Yukon legislatures, will be issuing a request for proposals for a comprehensive solution to our broadcasting needs. The highest priority for my office in the coming months will be to implement a broadcasting solution that will far outperform our previous efforts. The preferred solution is a channel dedicated to broadcasting the proceedings of the three northern legislatures in every community in the Northwest Territories and in all its official languages. Throughout this process, I will consult all Members to ensure that our needs and the needs of your constituents are met.
In the meantime, I would like to thank CKLB Radio and the community cable and radio stations in Fort Smith, Hay River, Fort Simpson, Inuvik, Tuktoyaktuk, Paulatuk, Holman and Yellowknife for their efforts in making our proceedings accessible to residents.
As Members are aware, the Independent Commission to Review Members' Compensation and Benefits was tabled during this sitting. While Members have not yet had an opportunity to consider the commission's recommendations in the House, a number of them followed up on concerns raised by Members in the House last year. Notably, the recommendation to expand the current Page program such that each Member will be entitled to bring four Pages a year to Yellowknife from their constituencies is one that I welcome.
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In addition to recommendations to provide Members with adequate funding from the Assembly's appropriation to visit each of the communities in their respective constituencies at least five times a year is one that I feel will greatly level the playing field among all MLAs to meet and represent their constituents. I look forward to your deliberations on these matters and I stand ready to respond to your needs.
Parking remains a critical issue for the Assembly. Last year, engineering work was completed for the creation of 21 additional parking stalls to the east of the access road into the building. This project has been delayed for two reasons. First, the Assembly was in a position of reducing its overall expenditures this year. To proceed with this project value at over $150,000 would have meant unacceptable reductions to the services provided to the Members of the House.
Secondly, the proposed law court building is likely to have a significant impact on the traffic level into and out of the Legislative Assembly and the current parking capacity. The board is interested in seeking further details on these impacts prior to proceeding with a project that will leave a significant impact adjacent to the Legislative Assembly. As design work on the proposed law court building proceeds, we will be in a better position to determine the best way to proceed.
Supporting the work of the statutory officers of the House is a critical component of the work of the Legislative Assembly. This year, the budgets of the Languages Commissioner and the Equal Pay Commissioner have been adjusted to reflect the lower-than-expected number of complaints received by these offices. The budget for the Equal Pay Commissioner has been reduced from $175,000 to $68,000; $35,000 of this reduction has been transferred to the office of the Speaker to fund the Legislative Outreach Program and $22,000 has been transferred to the ATIPP Commissioner to provide her with a small operating budget. The remaining $50,000 was used to meet the Assembly's expenditure reduction targets. The Languages Commissioner's budget was reduced from $200,000 to $180,000, also to meet the fiscal restraint target.
The budget for the Chief Electoral Officer has been increased by $75,000 in preparation for the 2007 General Election. While the budget for the Human Rights Commission remains steady at $630,000, an increasing number of complaints to the commission is putting pressure on this allocation and will likely require adjustments this year or next.
Mr. Chairman, 2005-2006 saw the successful completion of a number of large pieces of work including the Electoral Boundaries Commission, the Independent Commission to Review Members' Compensation and Benefits and a general review of the Legislative Assembly and Executive Council Act. The year ahead will be focussed on implementation, particularly in the run-up to the general election in just over 18 months from now.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank my colleagues on the Board of Management who have the unenviable job of administering the services and benefits provided to all Members. I am proud of the work that they have done on behalf of all Members and our institution. This concludes my opening remarks, Mr. Chairman.