by P.J. Harston
Northern News Services

NNSL (NOV 06/96) - The legislative committee that oversees 60 per cent of the government's budget says last year's cuts were "drastic" and suggests they weren't well thought out.

"Last year, the government had to take some drastic steps to bring the budget under control," said Thebacha MLA Michael Miltenberger (left), deputy chairman of the standing committee on social programs.

"This year when we make changes to programs we have to look at the impact those changes will have on other people and other programs."

Last year MLAs trimmed more than $31 million from the combined budgets of the departments of justice, health and social services and education, culture and employment, along with the NWT Housing Corporation.

That reduced spending in the departments -- which the government collectively calls the "social envelope" -- to $658.3-million from $689.5-million.

While committee members didn't say social problems increased because of those cuts, they did say changes should no longer be made just to save money.

The five-member committee spent the last two weeks reviewing preliminary 1997-98 business plans with staff from those departments

"Over 60 per cent of the government's budget is in departments within the social envelope," said committee chairman Tommy Enuaraq (MLA Baffin Central).

"The only way to keep spending under control is to address the high rate of social problems and the demands of our rapidly increasing population."

Committee members told department staff they need to continue the search for better ways to provide services to communities, as long as spending is kept under control.

However, they also stressed that these initiatives have to be well thought out, accessible to communities, and show positive results if they're expected to survive.

Department staff will now begin to work on revised budgets for the coming year.

The territorial budget is expected to be reviewed by the legislative assembly beginning this January.