This amendment seeks the recommendation of the Minister of Finance after consultation with the Government of the Northwest Territories. It simply requires that there be consultation. But I think this speaks to a broader issue, which is the diminution and the demise of federal, provincial, and territorial engagement under this government, whether it is on health care or the effects of federal changes to EI on provinces.
Mr. Chair, you've been in the House for some time. For a lot of us who have been around for some time, there was a time, going back even further, when the role of the minister responsible for intergovernmental affairs was considered a very senior role. Former Prime Minister the Right Honourable Joe Clark was a minister of intergovernmental affairs under Prime Minister Mulroney. Stéphane Dion was a minister of intergovernmental affairs under Mr. Chrétien. They were well recognized and respected individuals.
Very few Canadians would be able to name the Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs in the current government, or recognize him in a police lineup. The reality is that he is like a minister without portfolio in the current government. There is no consultation. There is no engagement. And the fact that government members are averse to simply having a requirement for consultation with the Government of the Northwest Territories speaks to that diminution of this very important role.