Jane Groenewegen

We all know that too many priorities is no priority. Certainly there will be a time when constitutional development will be timely and it will be appropriate to discuss that. Was there a motion or any resolution passed at the Dene Nation this week with regard to constitutional development?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The issue of constitutional development is certainly a huge issue. It has been briefly mentioned in some of the discussions with the results of the fallout from the Board Reform Initiative, but I must say that I’m extremely surprised to hear the Premier’s comments on this today. I’d like to ask the Premier if this is something that’s been discussed around the Cabinet table. Embarking on a full-fledged constitutional reform?

Mr. Speaker, it still seems like a scattered approach to me and in the process we are doing damage in the fact that we are creating uncertainty again amongst a group of people who are starting to talk about, if this is the government’s first response to MLAs saying that we need cheaper power rates in the Northwest Territories, it’s an overreaction. We should first of all look at whether or not Power Corp operates too arms-length from the government and if there are opportunities to bring it in. Just the fact that somebody can walk up and throw a proposal on our desk and we will then devote...

Mr. Speaker, I would like to direct my questions to the Premier today with respect to the ATCO proposal that… just to put it in a little bit of context, Mr. Speaker, we asked this government to look at supplementary health benefits so that the working poor can be looked after. We get a response that takes drastic measures on a whole lot of other people. We agree in the strategic planning that we want an efficient and an effective government and we get a proposal back from this government to wipe out virtually every board in the Northwest Territories.

Mr. Speaker, we stand up on a theme day and...

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I move that we report progress.

---Carried

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I am going to support the motion, Mr. Chairman, for now. If I find anybody is not listening to me when I am talking and they are looking at their computer, then I will have to rethink my support. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Will the Premier commit to not taking any further action on this unless a proposal or resolution does come from the Dene National Assembly to this government, at which time would he please ask us what we would think of our government perhaps leading an initiative on something like this? I don’t know how that would all take place, but I think it does bear some discussion as a full Caucus.

I’ve had the opportunity to be involved in some of the constitutional forums of the past, starting with the Western Constitutional Forum way back when chaired by Mr. Robert McQuarrie. These are huge undertakings and I kind of had the impression that we were kind of making it up as we went along here today. I’m a little bit unnerved with that, just given some of the other priorities we need to focus on right now. We’ve got some huge economic issues out there in the Northwest Territories. We’ve got some huge cost of living issues. I guess I just don’t want to give people out there in the...

The boards and agencies which currently exist in our communities and regions across the Northwest Territories took many years to evolve to the point that they did. They were intended to encourage participation from people more than us. Consensus government doesn’t stop at the doors of this building. Consensus government is a Territory-wide concept. What does Mr. Miltenberger say to those people who are contributing here in Yellowknife and in the communities around the Northwest Territories. What does he say to those people who have contributed so much to build this capacity and be involved for...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I don’t think the Minister responsible for refocusing government has to wait for April to find out what Members think. I think very little research is really required to find out whether or not this side of the House supports going from 70 boards to seven boards. The Minister sat here today. He’s heard all 11 Members on this side of the House stand up and say we don’t like your policy, we don’t like your process, we don’t like the way you’re going about this. Why don’t you just save us all a lot of time and trouble and commit here today to take this off the table?