Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise today in support of this motion. To start I’d like to make some general comments on the Ministers’ statements made earlier today as I believe they are relevant to the motion at hand.
With respect to the statements made by the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment, it was a nice statement. It didn’t really say anything. While listening I didn’t hear anything that would suggest the board reform is necessary or that education should be rolled into health and housing.
With respect to the Minister of Health and Social Services’ statement, it did identify some reasons for reform; however, it also offered a better solution, in my mind. The Minister talked about the joint leadership committee. Personally I believe that one health and social services authority or board is a better direction for the provision of health and social services in the Northwest Territories than combining them with education and housing.
With respect to the comments of the NWT Housing Corporation Minister, we already know that rolling public housing subsidy into ECE was, and is, a disaster. The local housing organizations are experiencing major deficits which they didn’t have before the change. Reinforcing an already bad decision by putting housing in with a super board is super bad.
Finally, with respect to the Premier’s statements, he referred a lot to the need for change. It is my opinion that change for the sake of change is insane.
There’s been a lot of talk, debate and concern raised about this government’s direction on board reform. According to the unedited Hansard of February 16th , Minister Miltenberger said, “When
we got together at the start of the 16th Legislative
Assembly a key message for Members was that we need to get on with board reform.” I remember it differently. I remember a significant amount of discussion on finding efficiencies within the government and our board structures. I remember talking about doing what’s right for the NWT and working in the best interests of our residents. I remember discussions on how to ensure that we are getting maximum benefit from every dollar that we spend. I remember our strategic plan and its goals of having an effective and efficient government. I don’t remember anybody talking about or suggesting that we gut the existing boards and combine them in super boards where conflicting mandates will have to struggle against each other on a daily basis. I know I would have remembered that conversation.
To me there are some things that we need to improve upon within the GNWT. Efficiencies must be found. With proper research, analysis, stakeholder engagement and modelling of alternatives this may even result in the reform of some boards. However, in the absence of any research stakeholder engagement or analysis, it’s way too early to commit to any plan. It’s time to take a step back and do the research and analysis. Let the findings of public consultation lead us into a direction that is in the best interest of the residents of the Northwest Territories.
When Minister Miltenberger first brought forward his plan for board reform and presented it to Priorities
and Planning, the committee, of all of us Regular Members, I was immediately concerned and definitely not convinced that it was a good idea or in the best interest of Northerners. I’ve been opposing the direction since that time and will continue to do so. I was very concerned that amalgamating the different mandates under one might cause us all to suffer. Health and Social Services is a beast and could easily become the focus of any board responsible for different mandates. This could easily result in the loss of focus or direction in the other areas of education and housing.
Another major concern was that the Refocusing Government committee had decided to apply one model -- the Tlicho model -- in all regions, reducing the number of boards from 70 to seven. The Tlicho model appears to work, although it’s still going through some growing pains in the Tlicho region, because it was developed in partnership with the Tlicho Government based on how they wanted services provided in their region. It was developed with their input.
The important thing to remember here is that not every region is the same. All are unique and their differences and desires must be included in any changes that are put forward. Where the Tlicho model works in one area it does not mean it will work in all other areas. Yellowknife is a prime example. We have a regional health authority, two school boards with different mandates, and a number of housing boards -- Yellowknife and North Slave -- being thrown together. Combining these vastly different organizations together will hurt each and every one of them as they compete for combined resources. If the board members are more passionate about health care, then health care will take priority over education and housing will suffer. If the board members are more passionate about education, then health and housing will suffer. Simply, this can’t work in Yellowknife or, in my opinion, the majority of the regions throughout the Northwest Territories. Blind devotion to a set model undermines the entire review process and ensures that the wrong model will be implemented. Once again it appears as though Cabinet has made the decision in the absence of sound evidence and research and are moving forward with what they believe is right, regardless of evidence and public input.
As indicated earlier, I believe that the reason the Tlicho model works in the Tlicho is because the Tlicho Government had an opportunity to participate in its design. They are the architects of their own model based on their own needs. As the individual aboriginal groups move forward with their own self-government models they may find that the Tlicho model works for them. However, given the uniqueness of every region, it’s also fair to assume that they will desire a completely different and/or
unique model. They will want to be the architects of their own model based on their own needs, just like the Tlicho. I believe it’s ignorant for this government to presuppose that we know what’s best, to believe that we know what will work for the different self-governments. If we move forward with this model today we may have to completely tear it apart region by region once self-government agreements are reached and implemented. I believe that we would be better off engaging these aboriginal groups now and work towards the future. Do it once and do it right. Don’t assume you know what’s best and have government pay for going through a duplicate process later on.
In my opinion the direction of the Refocusing Government committee and Cabinet are proposing, with respect to board reform, is bad. Not just because of the serious lack of information, but due to timing. As a government we have far more important issues to be dealing with; things like devolution, resource revenue sharing, population growth -- or as we’re experiencing, the lack thereof -- and our economy. The NWT is not immune to the global economic meltdown. We’re feeling it more and more every day. Yesterday approximately 33 employees of Arctic Sunwest -- and I might be a little off on those numbers -- were laid off. In addition to those individuals, the 40 that were laid off from Tiffany’s at their diamond polishing plant and the five more that were recently laid off from Arslanian’s diamond plant, Yellowknife has seen a total of 78 people become unemployed in just three businesses in less than two months. The numbers of unemployed are increasing elsewhere as well. For instance, there has been a significant reduction in exploration in the Beaufort-Delta this winter resulting in more unemployed in that region as well. Is now really the time for us to be focusing on board reform? Are there not more pressing issues that are on our plate? Board amalgamation will result in elimination of positions. There’s no way to deny that. People will be laid off as a result of board reform. Do we really need to be increasing the number of unemployed people in the Northwest Territories? Now? Given the economic realities?
There are opportunities to help stabilize our local economies and promote exploration and resource extraction. This should be our priority. So let’s revisit our priorities and work to get Northerners working. Let’s work to increase opportunities for employment in the NWT for current and new Northerners. Let’s work to increase our population, which will ensure that our federal transfer payments go up, not down. Let’s stop wasting time and chasing away people who we want to stay in the Northwest Territories. Let’s be practical and do what’s needed. Stop wasting time on things such as board reform that will do more damage to the Northwest Territories than it will do good.
Cabinet must discontinue board reform. Waiting until April when the Refocusing Government returns with the research and analysis based on their preferred model is not acceptable. We need to put our energies where they are required. Our people’s employment and maintaining or increasing our population is far more important and timely. Threatening people with amalgamating boards is destructive and counterproductive. As we put our energies where they should be, we should also continue to pursue efficiencies within the system. To do this government must conduct meaningful research with no preconceived notions and actively engage stakeholders and residents of the NWT to identify potential areas for improving efficiency of government and boards and agencies. A plan that works for each region based on what is best for them, the government, and all of the residents of the Northwest Territories must be developed. In some cases I expect things to stay as they are. In others there is room for improvement.
A number of Fridays ago we all talked about working together and how important it is for consensus government. Today a majority has spoken very clearly on behalf of all residents of the Northwest Territories. I encourage Cabinet to look at our gallery, our very full gallery, and in our packed Great Hall and on the streets. People are speaking clearly. They want board reform to stop. It’s now time for Cabinet to acknowledge what we are saying and what they are hearing on the streets. It’s time for them to stop board reform.
---Applause