Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I obviously stand here today in full support of the motion that is before us for a variety of reasons, many of which I have outlined in this House since we have been back to work here. I’ll just go over a few more of them, if I could.
I’ve been in politics, in elected office, for over a decade now and five years here in this House in my role as MLA for Kam Lake. Decisions have been made here in this consensus style of government. We call it a consensus government, but the decisions seem to be made by Cabinet. When I talk about Cabinet I think it’s a couple of Cabinet Ministers that make decisions. The rest of Cabinet seem to follow along.
If you ask me what is wrong with consensus government and why we’ve gone down the path with proposed changes to supp health and now board reform, the reason is quite simple: Cabinet does not have free votes; they do not have a voice of their own. Each Cabinet Minister has to be muzzled by those that are pushing their own agenda. I think that in itself is something this Legislature really needs to come to terms with. If we want to have true consensus government here in the Northwest Territories we need to address that. We need to open up the barriers that exist on that side of the House. We need to allow free votes. We need to have each Minister over there able to speak their mind and able not to be fearful of retribution from any other Cabinet Minister or Members on this side of the House. We have to have that open communication and votes. I think that’s paramount. To me that is the big part of the problem that has been taking place here over the last 16 months or so.
The issues on board reform...I’ve talked about the diversity of regions and I don’t support the one-size-fits-all approach that the government seems intent on delivering. I think if the government wasn’t so lazy they could get out and do the work; they could tailor make a solution for each region by working with the MLAs, by working with the organizations in the various regions, and come up with a solution. Yes, there are efficiencies out there. But by just taking this heavy-handed approach on board reform and suggesting that the Tlicho model is a model that’s going to fit everywhere, it’s not going to work that way. It certainly won’t work here in Yellowknife. I would fight for the institutions that are here in Yellowknife to the end. If Cabinet wants to pursue board reform, they’re going to have a fight on their hands. That can be for sure.
I also appreciated my colleague Mr. Krutko talking about impending self-government and the fact that this may have some impact in that area as well. I believe the government has some work to do there, and Mr. Krutko talked about a legal review of that and I agree with him. I think the government should be looking at that.
I also believe that the consultation that’s taken place on this is so suspect and full of holes it’s laughable. Really it is laughable. How the government could come out with a list of nine questions, most of them presumptive, send them out to some organizations and call that consultation, that’s not consultation. It’s telling people what you’re going to do; not listening to them and not taking their advice on what they believe should happen. I think the government, like I said in my Member’s statement, has to take a lesson in consultation and what it means to really engage the public in a meaningful way. Not just the public, but the Members on this side of the House.
We’ve been down that road a couple weeks ago with the motion that was before the House. We don’t want to have to go there again. Believe me, we don’t want to have to go there. I hope the government got the point and the message a couple weeks ago. This board reform is much the same as the supp health benefits proposed changes. No research. No analysis. You just threw it out there and people have enough things to worry about in their day-to-day lives than to be concerned about what the government’s going to try to do to them next. I think it’s an affront to the institutions that are out there. I don’t believe the government has met with the organizations, the DEAs, the school boards. I don’t think they’ve met with them in a consultative way. I think it’s been intimidation, fear, and that’s not the way for a government to operate.
I certainly will be supporting the motion that’s before us today. When Ministers get a chance, and I hope they do, I hope they get a chance to stand up here today in front of all the people who have gathered here in this House, and people who are watching on TV, and say whether or not they support Cabinet’s direction to move ahead with board reform to go from 70 to seven boards. I spoke of it earlier. I was glad to see the Minister of Education, the Minister of Health, and the Minister of Housing stand up in this House...