Jane Groenewegen

 Thank you, Mr. Speaker.  Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to waive Rule 93(4) and have Committee Report 10-15(3) moved into Committee of the Whole for Monday, February 14, 2005.  Thank you, Mr. Speaker.  

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I am glad to hear the Premier is on exactly the same page as I am and I think many northerners are. No long-term sustainable benefits, no revenue sharing, no pipeline. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

I would like to ask the Premier if he concurs that that is what he is saying clearly and succinctly and we are committed to work very hard between now and when it comes into place because we do support it, so let there be no misunderstanding about that. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, your committee has been considering Bill 19, Appropriation Act, 2005-2006, and would like to report progress. Mr. Speaker, I move that the report of Committee of the Whole be concurred with. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my questions are for the Premier today and it’s in follow-up to my Member’s statement with respect to the Mackenzie Valley pipeline. Mr. Speaker, numerous people commented this morning. I was one of the ones who commented. I understand the Premier heard my comments on there. I have concerns; I think I’ve raised those concerns fairly consistently. I hope they are not interpreted to mean to anyone that I don’t support the Mackenzie Valley pipeline and I hope that in my constituency no ill will would be felt towards my constituency for that, because I...

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. Next on the list I have for general comments is Mr. Pokiak.

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. Next on my list I actually have Ms. Lee, but Mr. Menicoche has not spoken to the budget yet. So I’ll go to Mr. Menicoche for a general comment.

Thank you, Ms. Lee. Mr. Roland.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I think that’s an interesting idea and I just hope that we get a chance as 19 Members to do a little bit more strategic planning. The Minister refers to our strategic plan. I think it’s too broad. I think it’s too high level. I think we’re in a rut. I know we need to deliver core services that governments deliver and we have certain mandates and obligations, but I think in terms of how we spend our money we’re in a rut. I think there’s a lot more good we could be doing. But once something is entrenched, it seems like it would take 40 years to turn it around and do...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I rise in the House today to speak about this government’s approach to expenditure reductions. Mr. Speaker, the budget presented by the Minister of Finance today is far leaner than we have seen for some time, and it is a result of a strategy to achieve a $20 million reduction. From what I understand about the processes to achieve this target, Mr. Speaker, each department and Minister was initially asked to identify ways to cut their spending in their department by three percent. It was an across-the-board exercise for all departments.

Mr. Speaker, this...

Mr. Speaker, I would like to seek unanimous consent to move to recognition of visitors in the gallery on the order paper, please. Thank you.