Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and thank you to the honourable Members who have spoken before me, both today and tomorrow. Their comments are important to hear.
Mr. Speaker, yesterday, the Minister of Finance delivered the much-anticipated 2017-2018 Budget Address, setting the stage for the coming weeks of budget deliberations in this House. It is a relief that this information is at long last made public so that our constituents can now know the full extent of what the government is proposing to do with their tax dollars and provide the programs and services they have come to expect.
As honourable Members of this House, we have spent many months in review of these budget plans through our standing committees and work as individual MLAs. This allows us to know exactly what is being proposed long before it is known publicly. While I appreciate the opportunity to work with the government, it can be frustrating to keep this vital information from the public at a time when government spending has become increasingly critical to meet the needs of our people.
Given our current economic conditions, it is no surprise to me that this budget is of considerable interest to Northerners. Time and time again, I am asked by constituents and supporters and everyday people: what is our government doing to support our economy, create jobs, and help support Northern families in their communities? These are not questions that should have to be asked. Rather, it should be abundantly clear to all exactly what measures this government is taking to ensure growth and prosperity for our territory.
Instead, we are constantly reminded by the ever-present mantra of the Minister of Finance that fiscal restraint and declining revenues are the priority for this government, and all the while paired with vivid metaphors of robbing grandchildren of their savings and falling off the edge of fiscal cliffs. Where is the ambitious plan to diversify our economy? Where is the plan to grow our population? Where is the plan to evolve into our new powers and responsibilities post-devolution? These major initiatives take major investment and should be the basis for spending priorities. Instead, we are shown that this government's fiscal strategy trumps the will of the majority of Members and the people of the NWT.
Mr. Speaker, when the 18th Assembly established its mandate, the government was adamant to include a fiscal context section that demanded severe curtailing of spending and a paramount focus on debt reduction for the life of this government. The fiscal context section was not accepted by the majority of honourable Members and ultimately removed from the mandate, and yet this did little to discourage the government to move away from its agenda of cuts and fiscal restraint.
During the first operations budget, we again saw a return to debt management and reductions as the driving force of the government's fiscal strategy that underpinned all of its spending commitments. This in fact led Members of the Standing Committee on Priorities and Planning to label this budget as an austerity budget motivated by a reduction target of $150 million.
Mr. Speaker, after so many of these debates over the exact same issue of priorities and prioritizing debt management over investment in our mandate, I would imagine that we would be seeing a change in approach and tone in today's budget. Unfortunately, this is not the case, and again we return to the same fundamental disagreement over what this government's financial priorities ought to be.
For me, Mr. Speaker, the priority is clear: invest in the mandate. Investing in the mandate is the key to delivering all of our shared priorities and on all the promises that we have made to the people of the Northwest Territories. The 2017 budget continues along the same path to generate a surplus at the end of this term. To accomplish this goal, this budget proposes a combination of staff reductions, departmental amalgamations, program sunsets, and massive increases of user fees in a variety of different areas. Government wants to cut 65 jobs, three departments, and $33 million to start, promising to restore a surplus in three years.
This priority is wrong-headed, Mr. Speaker, at a time when our economy is in decline and we have yet to find new sources of economic opportunities that will replace the closure of our diamond mines.
Now is the time to invest and, yes, borrow if necessary. Diversifying the economy cannot happen without direct investment, and our government isn't going to find new mines without that same level of investment, and those mines certainly aren't going to build themselves. This is why our industry, our people, and our environment needs the support of robust spending from this government that will help move us forward. While we are doing some of the work in this budget, it is simply not enough, and we need to do more. Northerners would rather their grandchildren have a quality education and a high-paying job than a government with a healthy cash surplus. It's time that we focus on the people and not the bottom line of the government's books.
Mr. Speaker, I believe there is much efficiency to be had in government; unfortunately, these efficiencies aren't being readily sought. Instead, departments are being amalgamated to find cost savings instead of improving services to Northerners. An example of this can be found in the much-touted government service officers that are recognized as providing a vital service to our residents, and yet in this budget we only see $950,000 for one additional position. That still leaves Yellowknife and the larger centres without access to this important service, and our people 50 per cent plus struggling to navigate bureaucratic red tape instead of getting the support they need for themselves and their families.
Why not instead move toward a service centre model for Yellowknife, Hay River, Inuvik, and the other larger communities where citizens have a one-stop shop to access government services? Instead, Mr. Speaker, we have a variety of service officers scattered through the departments, and no one really seems to know how to access them. We can make better use of our resources through a centralization plan and expanding on the model that the GSOs have provided. Again, these amalgamations and cuts are not about greater efficiency; it's about reducing the cost and banking the cash for the future.
This budget also includes new sheriff positions, which, I, of course, welcome. It's a good step, but again, we are not looking towards efficiencies. We could be transferring all court security duties to the sheriffs and away from the RCMP. Our own peace officers can provide this duty as effectively as the RCMP and for less, and we could get our RCMP on the streets and improve the delivery of public safety to our residents. This is another area of efficiency that the government is not looking towards; instead, we are looking at the bare minimum of expansion through forced growth. Forced growth is not a plan for transformative change; it is a requirement of running a very large government. We need to do better, Mr. Speaker.
The climate change framework and future carbon tax is no clearer as a result of what we have seen in this budget. We've heard commitments from the Premier and the Minister of Finance that avoiding raising the cost of living and ensuring that we implement this tax in the right way that doesn't inadvertently harm the wellbeing of Northerners is the number one priority. So why do we not commit to putting this money from the tax back into the pockets of Northerners as tax relief or as an energy subsidy, or something along those lines?
Carbon taxes are not a new idea, Mr. Speaker, to this or any other government, and the lack of preparation for what was clearly an inevitable political reality speaks to a lack of vision for this government. Again and again we hear that this is a government of change, and yet we continue to do things the same way. We need to embrace these opportunities to invest in our people and, although shielding the public from increases to the cost of living is a feature of the rhetorical debate from the government in this House, the Cabinet has shown no restraint as it pursues massive fee increases to lands and transportation.
Although the Airport Improvement Plan has been sold as a way to unlock economic opportunity and develop much-needed air infrastructure, this poorly implemented plan is designed first and foremost to get an expensive piece of public infrastructure off the government's books and to have it paid for by consumers. There is no plan for an independent airport authority, and no immediate plan to invest in the much-needed infrastructure improvements that have been used to sell the plan. What is present is an increase to fees, as much as 200 per cent in some cases, and a new improvement fee that will increase the cost of air travel by $30 to $40, twice as much for connecting flights from the North. Mr. Speaker, I do not know how this plan supports our goal of reducing the cost of living for Northerners.
The fees for Commissioner’s and territorial land leases are seeing similar increases; as much as 100 per cent in some cases in one year. These fees should be increased to keep up with national standards, but not at such a break-neck pace that leaseholders cannot manage to keep up. We should have a phased-in approach that clearly takes into account the high cost of living for our communities.
Mr. Speaker, I'm very proud of the work that my colleagues, the honourable Members of the Standing Committee of Priorities and Planning, have achieved in their review of these business plans and budget documents. Through these exercises we were able to develop our own priorities that moved this government in the right direction, aligning investment with the mandate and mitigating the most harmful of these cuts. These recommendations amount to less than 1 per cent of the total operating budget and are made in full recognition that our government does not have unlimited fiscal resources. I want to speak to these recommendations in light of the budget being made public.
Mr. Speaker, Northerners understand that a sound education system is crucial for the NWT. Our children deserve the best from our schools, and this government needs to ensure that we can continue to offer some of the best education in the world. I'm pleased to see that a commitment has been made to fully fund junior kindergarten by $2.7 million, but this has not changed the amount of funding available in this budget. Furthermore, there are still many questions about how and when this funding will run out so our school boards and district education councils get the resources they need for our kids.
With so many unanswered questions, I would hope that this budget would clarify that and give certainty to parents and schools that they have the resources they need to ensure the same high-quality, inclusive education that the North has a right to be proud of. We need to do a better job of communicating these plans and communicating this commitment in more than words, but in real spending.
Mr. Speaker, the best way to reduce costs to this government and support the aspirations of Northerners is through a solid plan for jobs and growth. We've heard from this government that prioritizing major infrastructure spending to help boost resource development opportunities and most of the reduction exercise is designed to support that infrastructure; but we can do more than just invest in mega projects, we can invest in entrepreneurs and other sectors of the economy.
The committee is proposing a $1.2 million increase to the Support for Entrepreneurs and Economic Development Program. The SEED Program will ensure that new sources of capital are available for small businesses, start-up companies, prospectors, tourism operators, local governments, and more.
We also continue to call on a tax cut for small businesses, as promised by our mandate. We are also proposing to more than double the Mineral Incentive Program to a total investment of $1 million. Mining is the life breath of our economy, and we need to show our support with more than words and seriously invest in development of new mines for the next generation of Northerners.
Growing our commercial fishery is a real opportunity to make best use of the best-quality fish in the world. Mr. Speaker, the committee is asking for this government to support this industry by increasing the industry freight support funding by $225,000. This modest investment will help get our world-class product to market and keep our fishing industry competitive with the south.
Front-line business support for Northern companies, Indigenous-owned businesses, and entrepreneurs is provided by the Business Development and Investment Corporation, or BDIC. The committee stands opposed to cutting half a million dollars to BDIC, and further $280,000 cuts to the community futures funding. These organizations and funds are crucial to supporting the growth of private sectors and communities, both large and small.
In the smaller communities, every job counts, Mr. Speaker, and our committee has a plan to support new jobs across the territory. Although we welcome the increase to the Small Community Employment Support Program to $3 million, we are proposing additional funding of $2 million for employment in the smaller communities, for a total investment of $5 million. We are also proposing increasing the Community Access Program by $700,000, allowing greater access to traditional use areas, better winter road conditions, and more work for these communities that do not enjoy year-long access. In addition, the committee is proposing a $300,000 winter road for the community of Sambaa K'e.
Northerners want real action on climate change and cost of living. Energy retrofit programs offered through the Arctic Energy Alliance are funded by this government and are key in reducing the high cost of northern living and the high cost of running a business in the North. We know that these programs are making a difference, and we are calling on this government to maintain $750,000 of program funding and further enhance that funding by an additional $750,000, for a total investment of $1.5 million in energy retrofit programs. This will help Northerners lower their heating bills, reduce their greenhouse gas emissions, increase the value of their homes, and add more support in the fight against devastating climate change that is driving up our costs to the environment, our cost of living, and our traditional way of life for many people in the Northwest Territories.
Mr. Speaker, Northerners continue to be dismayed by the high rates of suicide in their communities. It's devastating to lose a friend or family member to despair, and our government must do a better job of supporting mental health services and, in particular, mental health services for our young people. To this end, the committee has proposed $500,000 in new funding for a youth in crisis and suicide prevention initiative and is calling on the government to develop a strong partnership with the federal government to bring more mobile crisis intervention teams to remote NWT communities.
Mr. Speaker, our aging population will place new pressure on the health system to provide long-term care and additional support. That is why the committee feels strongly that this government must place a high priority on new funding for aging in place. We are proposing $1.5 million in new funding for homecare services. It is essential to assist seniors so they can age in their own homes. This funding would increase the number of homecare workers in all regions and approve transportation services for seniors and elders. We are also proposing to increase the CARE program through the Housing Corporation by an additional $1.3 million, with funds specifically targeted to the repair and maintenance of seniors' homes, allowing our seniors to stay at home for longer. The avoided costs of long-term care will result in substantial long-term savings.
Mr. Speaker, that short list was just a number of the initiatives that the committee worked very diligently to provide. We do not seek to table our own budget, propose our own budget. We wanted to work with the government to pursue these initiatives and make substantial changes in the direction this government is going. Unfortunately, we have not been able to find common ground, apart from some issues. There are good things in this budget, though, Mr. Speaker, and I'd like to address a few of those.
The new enhanced NWT Child Benefit and cost-of-living tax credit are steps in the right direction. These programs will put more money in the pockets of families that need help, lifting some 2,000 families out of poverty and bringing that investment back into their communities as they shop and find new opportunities for themselves. These are good things.
The Small Community Employment Plan, as I've already mentioned. This is a good thing, although, as I said, it does not go far enough. 911 service has been a concern for many Northerners for a very long time, and it's great to see that we're finally moving forward; however, it is on a partial cost recovery, which again we are seeing fee increase of 100 to 200 per cent in some area, and yet we can't expect 10 cents more for a 911 service, an essential safety service for Northerners.
The money for homelessness in Yellowknife is also a much-needed investment that I for one welcome. The Whati road and substantial support for policing services, in addition to some of the innovation programs, the unmanned aerial vehicle that will improve geomatics, collect some geomatic data, and we can pass it along to industry.
There are good things going on, Mr. Speaker, but these things are not happening in a robust and impactful way. They're not being communicated in a way that gives confidence. Again, every time we are given an opportunity to discuss our long-term commitments, it is always in the light of fiscal restraint and the danger that the entire system will experience a sudden shock that will see it collapse.
That does not provide confidence to anyone that we have the ability to build a strong economy and a stronger economy and a stronger territory, and it doesn't give hope to this side of the House that we can get anywhere in seeking greater investment in the mandate, which is why we have come to a position where the majority of Members in this House stand united in calling for change for the budget before it can be passed.
Nobody wants to be in this situation, Mr. Speaker. I certainly don’t, and I know other honourable Members don’t as well, but we are left with no choice but to place the needs of our people above the needs of a plan for debt management. We remain united in that front and we will continue to fight this fight until we see some changes to the mandate and some real investment in Northerners.
If we're going to save millions of dollars, let's use that today instead of for infrastructure projects that may not have the same impact for many years to come. We need that investment today. We need to get people off social support into their communities working, working for themselves and working for their people, and we believe we have created a set of initiatives that will help further move this government in that direction.
We are not asking for much; we're asking for less than 1 per cent, and I believe that we need to do this. Now is the time for investment, not the time to reduce our debt. Now is the time to invest in our people and make a real difference in the lives of Northerners. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.