Legislators began their debate on the territory’s 2012 budget Thursday and continued to debate Friday afternoon.
Spending public dollars touches on many issues, and so did legislators’ debate, with topics ranging from sewerage to roads to education to crime.
Deputy Premier Dr. Kedrick Pickering, the minister of natural resources and labour, spoke about the need to take care of the territory’s environment.
“We don’t have a future without our environment,” Dr. Pickering said. He added that in all the territory’s developments, taking care of the natural environment will be a priority. “We have to tell ourselves that we can’t continue to keep doing things the same old way,” Dr. Pickering said.
He also told the House that he wants to see the budget process revamped.
“We can’t continue with that sort of a process,” he said, adding that legislators need to do some “soul searching” and find a more efficient, effective system than the Standing Finance Committee.
See the March 29, 2012 edition for full coverage.