Jane Groenewegen

I call Committee of the Whole to order. What is the wish of the committee? Mr. Zoe.

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.

There is a motion on the floor to report progress. The motion is not debatable. All those in favour? All those opposed? The motion is carried.

---Carried

I will rise and report progress.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have two petitions. This is a petition signed by probably about 2,400 people petitioning against of the closure of Dene K’onia and the remand facility in Hay River.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I wish to report that the Standing Committee on Governance and Economic Development has reviewed Bill 16, Northwest Territories Business Development and Investment Corporation Act, and wishes to report that Bill 16 is ready for consideration in Committee of the Whole, as amended and reprinted. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. So this is the utilization then of these resources in terms of our infrastructure. Is there any criteria applied to people applying in terms of what the course material contains? Is there any criteria an applicant has to meet in order to offer these courses through the Aurora College? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I notice with interest an advertisement in the paper. I will direct my question to the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment. There is a course offering at Aurora College for people to learn how to read palms. It’s called Palmistry. Mr. Speaker, we have a lot of demands on our education dollars and the needs of northerners in terms of education. I am not sure exactly what is involved in this course. It outlines the course in the paper. It talked about reading the lines on your hands to figure out how long you are going to live and what your...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, Mr. Braden is ringing a bell and Ms. Lee is crowing and…

---Laughter

…I just want to stand up and sing a good song. Mr. Speaker, I want to take the first available opportunity today at the reconvening of session to thank a number of people.

Leading up to the Christmas break, we had the Minister of Justice, the Honourable Charles Dent, come to Hay River to meet with community leaders with respect to plans for changes in justice services in Hay River.

Subsequent to that, Premier Joe Handley also came to Hay River to meet about numerous items; the most pressing...