Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I, too, would like to put the government on caution in regard to this budget. I believe that we are spending $1.2 billion, but I think, Mr. Speaker, we have to be aware that we’re not immune to what’s happening around us with the economic downturn and potential of a deficit. I think Members who are still in this House from the 13th Assembly can relate
to what happened in the 13th Assembly, which we
weren’t under this type of situation. Again, because of the dependency on the federal government, we had to cut $130 million because of the deficit we were in. I think that because of that we have seen the effects of programs and services having to do with certain departments, consolidation. I think those days are still out there.
I think as a government we have to be cautious and, more importantly, that we have to realize that there are still certain projects which we are looking at by way of the Taltson project is a $500 million project, and we all know about the Deh Cho Bridge -- $165 million -- capital projects in excess of $100 million. Mr. Speaker, we have to realize that we, as government, are accountable to the public purse and we cannot be seen to be spending for the simple sake of spending.
Just on that, Mr. Speaker, I believe we do have to do what it takes to keep our economies going in our smaller communities and in regard to all communities in the Northwest Territories. We have high unemployment. We have high dependency on government programs and services, and when they’re not there we all feel it. I’d just like to mention that we do have to stimulate those economies regardless if it’s a make-work project in a particular community, implement the motions that were passed here in the House in regard to chipseal projects for small communities. Those things will stimulate the economy in those smaller communities. It will make work during the downturn and, more importantly, the effects we’re seeing in the private sector by way of what’s happening with the oil and gas, what’s happening in the diamond industry, I think we have to realize that we, as government, are not seeing the revenue flow that we have seen in the past from corporate taxes to personal income.
More importantly, Mr. Speaker, we do not have the ability, like other provinces and jurisdictions, to be able to hike up the taxes and generate those extra revenues from royalties, corporate taxes, even personal income tax, because the 40,000 people here already pay enough as it is.
Mr. Speaker, I think it’s important that we, as government, be cautious going forward and, more importantly, that we do not, for the sake of spending or creating positions because we feel it should be done, but, more importantly, when it should be done. The pipeline positions have been a controversial item in this House over five years and yet we’re still waiting for a decision on the pipeline. That’s probably nowhere closer today than it was last year. I think until that decision is made, we should not be filling those positions.
Again, Mr. Speaker, I’d like to caution the government and the Ministers to at all costs avoid unneeded expenditures, especially where we see we can see savings and, more importantly, save the dollars for that rainy day which is not that far ahead. Mr. Speaker, I think as this government, the former Minister of Finance and Premier who were here in the 13th Assembly can perfectly state the big
challenges we had then, which were probably not as deep as we’re going to get ourselves into in the next couple of months going forward. I think as governments, especially in regard to territorial governments, we cannot afford to find ourselves in a major deficit and have to make those tough decisions of either having to shut down programs and services, selling public assets or even having to lay off people. We’ve already had a taste of that in regard to last year’s budget. Again, those clouds are still over us and I think until we basically have to make a decision on where we’re going, we should walk cautiously, carry a big stick and make sure you’ve got the dollars to bail yourself out when we get there.
With that, I would just like to caution the Cabinet and the Ministers that this is not full speed ahead and spend, spend, spend. Walk cautiously, see where you’re spending your money and make sure that you have those dollars there so when we do find ourselves in a major deficit situation that we’re able to get out of the hole instead of how we had to deal with it in the 13th Assembly. Thank you, Mr.
Speaker.