Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As I mentioned earlier today I have become quite concerned that the initial common agreement in this House that we should look at board and agency reform has changed from support to this side of the House being completely left behind. There is a number of reasons for this, but one is, of course, again the communications issue and the engendering of unnecessary angst and frustration with our public for the lack of communication and for the lack of meaningful information on which to base a public consultation. The word that is out there so far completely fails to recognize regional differences and completely fails to recognize where there has been successful operations for decades. The democratic issue is something I once again raised in question period and needs to be addressed.
I think, probably, Mr. Speaker, the best way that I could approach what we need here is to talk about a different process. That is what I would like to see and what I hope to achieve with this motion. I would like to see the Minister produce an analysis of the seven regions. What are the characteristics of those regions? What are the commonalities and what are the unique differences? Perhaps a first attempt even at identifying the opportunities within those regions, recognizing their differences. I would like to see him characterize the population, the cultural resources, the professional resources in those regions and bring that out in a format that the public can read and respond to. In identifying
opportunities that are actually appropriate for regions, I would like to see the Minister actually discuss options rather than one-size-fits-all and rather than just one option for the region. Let’s give people something to really respond to meaningfully.
I would like to see this sort of report then vetted with the public, because obviously they have a lot of resources to bring to this issue, and see that incorporated into the analysis and then once again a further crystallization of the opportunities that we can detect. I would like to have departments detail their requirements and debate and refine that internally before once again taking it to the public for review, giving the public meaningful information. I would like to see some costing analysis of some of the opportunities that are identified and again internally reviewed and debated and with input from this side of the House, and again making this information available for public review and input.
Finally, I would like to see this information seek out cross-regional commonalities. Take what this process would produce, seek where there are commonalities, and could be dealt with on a larger scale, and then make proposals available; proposals that acknowledge and respond to actual regional characteristics and opportunities, real opportunities.
I have mentioned public review a number of times here and we have already heard lots of comments on that, Mr. Speaker, but public consultation needs to be comprehensive, well thought out, well scheduled and with a sincere attempt to seek and facilitate meaningful, informed and thoughtful input from Northerners, community leaders, members of boards and agencies, aboriginal governments and organizations, GNWT employees and managers, and Members of this House. This is an opportunity once again for this government to show they are hearing the voice of the people to make that decision, and to actually come out, in the longer terms, with a better product. Again, I stress that we started in common agreement, but somehow this government has left this side of the House, and certainly the public, far behind and we need to go back and correct that situation so that we can get really good input and come up with a good product. Mr. Speaker, I will be supporting this motion.