Hay River Reserve (Aug 28/06) - Although people usually have lots to say after the fact, it appears not many want to put in their two cents' worth before the next territorial budget.

Only a handful of people turned out in each of the three South Slave communities visited last week by the Legislative Assembly's Standing Committee on Accountability and Oversight during its pre-budget public consultations.

Hay River town councillor Ron Cook listens to the discussion at public consultations ahead of the GNWT's next budget, Aug. 23 on the Hay River Reserve. - Paul Bickford/NNSL photo

"I'm a little bit surprised," said Tu Nedhe MLA Bobby Villeneuve. "The turnout wasn't what we expected."

Villeneuve noted this is the second year the committee has held public consultations and he expected participation to increase.

Timing may be a factor, he said noting people are busy at the end of the summer - travelling, picking up school supplies, going out on the land and attending various activities.

Villeneuve said the consultations may be held earlier next year, possibly in May or early June. "Let's get them before everyone blasts off on their summer plans."

Despite the low turnout, Hay River South MLA Jane Groenewegen said the meetings were "absolutely" valuable. "We haven't had a lot of presenters, but the presentations have been very good," Groenewegen said.

She also believes the timing of the consultations will have to be reconsidered in the future. There were more people last year when the meetings were held later in August and early September, she added.

The South Slave meetings were held in Fort Smith last Monday, Fort Resolution Tuesday and the Hay River Reserve Wednesday.

Other meetings were held in Yellowknife, Aklavik, Sachs Harbour, Fort Liard and Wekweeti.

As a team of MLAs toured the southern NWT, another group travelled the northern section of the territory. The theme of the consultations was how to reduce the high cost of living in the NWT.

While only four people turned out for the meeting on the Hay River Reserve, they brought with them many suggestions for the MLAs.

Evellyn Coleman, the executive director of the Territorial Farmers' Association, called for research and pilot projects to demonstrate commercially viable production and marketing methods, and for the government to identify and protect arable land.

Coleman said 25 per cent of current food imports to the NWT could be replaced by local products with about 7,500 acres of land.

"With the rising cost of food being shipped to the North, it is becoming more apparent that the NWT must become more self-reliant," she said.

Hay River Reserve resident Arthur Martel suggested the GNWT support the use of wood stoves as an economical means of heating houses.

Ron Cook, a Hay River town councillor, suggested government review its policy of allowing seniors to live free in public housing, noting "quite a ruckus" was raised recently about the issue.

If seniors can afford to pay, they should, he said.

"There's something wrong with the whole policy."

Cook suggested government consider giving free fuel to all seniors to encourage them to stay in their own homes.

Currently, a fuel subsidy is provided based on the means of the elderly.