Mr. Speaker, I listened today to the Premier’s Budget Address with some interest. There were a lot of positive things in there, but at the beginning of the 16th Assembly we were
informed that reductions were needed and that we had to live within our means or we would be in a dire financial situation down the road. I wanted to buy into that argument and believed we would have good-quality input into the whole budget process. Mr. Speaker, I was wrong.
How could you say that the Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes had input into the budget when we stand to lose 34 positions plus a whole facility closing down with all its employees? Those folks from Arctic Tern have invested their lives in their work. We ask them to go and get training and say we’re going to employ them. They believed us, Mr. Speaker. We were not honest with them.
We also said youth were our priority, and then we sent out proposed affected employee letters to rec coordinators. Is that showing them how important we thought their work was to us? These are people who serve the youth not because it’s their job but because they want to.
As a Regular Member, I thought my input was going to be important and would be a part of the whole budget process. I found out differently. I was not part of the whole process. I still believe — in listening to the financial situation of this government down the road — that reductions are needed, but I think good, thought-out reductions that come from 19 Members are reflective of what we hear from the residents. We have to listen to those voices. I don’t think these reductions should be coming from bureaucrats who are intent on protecting their backsides. At the end of the day they don’t have to wear the reductions back in their community.
We are, as the Premier said, a territory with immense opportunities, and we have to fight hard to ensure our people, not Ottawa, are the major beneficiaries of those opportunities. As a Member of the community most affected by the reductions, I will struggle with the whole budget process as it is presented unless changes are made. When I look at the big picture, I see we have to reduce our spending and live within our means, and I still think this is possible.
As the elected Member for Inuvik, I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.
Unanimous consent granted.