Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, today my Member's statement is on growth in public services.

In 2000, a year after NWT and Nunavut split, the NWT had a population of 40,500 people and had a total of 3,548 people in the public service, or approximately one in 12 people work for the Government of the Northwest Territories. Twenty two years later, there is 45,500 people living in the Northwest Territories, and approximately 6,249 people in the public service, or approximately one in seven people work for the Government of the Northwest Territories. Over the past 22 years, territorial population has increased by only 12 percent but we have added 2,701 people to the public service, which is 76 percent increase.

The Government of the Northwest Territories currently spends over $400 million on compensations to employees. If the Government of the Northwest Territories wants to reduce expenditure, it needs to find a way to control growth of positions. The current model is unsustainable. The Minister responsible needs to come up with a short, medium, and long-term plan. I also want to see decentralization addressed as part of this overall plan. We all know that money spent locally contributes to local economic development.

This government has a mandate to increase employment in small communities and to diversify the economy. Mr. Speaker, move positions into regional centres and smaller communities. This will stimulate growth across the territories.

The Government of the Northwest Territories is the largest employer in the Northwest Territories. Housing is the main problem standing in the way of decentralization. So, Mr. Speaker, this is another reason why the Government of the Northwest Territories needs to address housing stock across small communities. I will have questions for the Minister of Finance later on. Thank you.