Hawkish on the deficit
Inuvik MLA will push to keep deficit fight on track

by Glenn Taylor
Northern News Services

INUVIK (Oct 17/97) - Inuvik MLA Floyd Roland said he'll continue to support the deficit fight, despite news that next year's budget will likely produce a $9-million surplus.

The worst of the cuts are over, Roland told constituents during a meeting in Inuvik last weekend. "I don't expect there will be any more big cuts next year," he said.

Despite a projected surplus, Roland said he wouldn't support new spending, but would instead lobby to direct any surplus to help pay down the territorial debt. The debt ballooned during the 1996-97 budget year, which added a $41 million deficit to the pool of red ink now facing the GNWT.

"The government is falling apart," said one resident, who argued cuts to government have gone too deep already. "The system can't take any more cuts."

"Almost everything we've done as a government in the 13th Assembly has been questioned to some degree or another," said Roland.

"But I don't want to be in a position like P.E.I., which pays 10 per cent of its budget every year in interest, just to service its debt."

Roland laid out his agenda for action for the next term. He said he would:

  • Push government to fund the conversion of Inuvik's high-temp heating system. Operating costs have spiralled out of control. He said government in three years would save enough in heating costs to pay for the costs of conversion. "It doesn't make sense to stay on the system," he said.

  • Lobby government to support the Inuvik gas-line project proposed by the Inuvialuit Petroleum Corporation. He would also pursue government financial assistance to assist residents in paying for the cost of converting to gas from heating oil.

  • Speed plans to build a new Aurora Campus, and a new hospital. "We have to get these projects up and going," said Roland. He said he was confident the house would make progress this term on amending the Financial Administration Act, to allow for private financing of such projects, backed by government financial guarantees. "If they can do it in P.E.I. with the bridge, why can't we do it here with new facilities?" he said.