Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Any change in the way we deliver a service in communities is a cause of concern to those directly affected by that level of service — or the employment, in this piece.
If you take a step back and look at what we’ve done over the lifetime of this government, the Government of the Northwest Territories…. At one time all work that was done in regions was done by central departments, whether it was Public Works and Services, Housing and so on. I recall a time when, for example, to do any body-work in our community of Inuvik -– and that was a regional centre -– we had someone flying out of Yellowknife to do the work, because that was the way government did business. I was, in fact, employed by the Department of Public Works and Services as an auto mechanic, and we travelled to the Inuvik
region to all the communities to service those communities.
Now those communities do it for themselves. They have contracted that work. They’ve taken it over. They’ve taken over delivery; they’ve taken over operations. They service it, and they’ve built up the capacity. In fact, as you were informed, there’s interest in Simpson to do the work.
We have to try to take a step back. It’s difficult when this is happening, I agree, but if we take a step back as a government and look toward what’s happening, do we not hear from Members of this Assembly about capacity in communities, the ability to get the job done and building that capacity? Is this not one of those ways of doing that, when we have other airports that are operating fine and doing that level of service?
I have to say that if there’s disagreement with this, I think the discussion about airport authorities — and I recall that happening in this fine city — should be off the table as well, just as we look at the way we do business.
It is something that’s difficult, but from time to time we have to look at how we operate and whether what we’re doing is the best thing overall or if this is an opportunity to build more capacity in communities and regions.