Thank you, Mr. Chairman. At the Standing Committee on Finance sessions, there was some concern expressed about the cost of the public service. The committee wishes to have a better understanding of the cost of the public service, in order to hold government accountable. Buried at the back of the 1991 Annual Report of the Northwest Territories Public Service, which was tabled in June 1992, is the government's response to these requests. You will see that in exhibit one in our committee report.

There are a number of deficiencies with this exhibit. Namely, the average salaries and positions, when extended, fall short of the $350 million budget by $69 million. Not all benefits were listed, such as housing and settlement allowances, and we still do not have sufficient information on how well we remunerate our employees.

When the committee reviewed certain activities, we were surprised by the apparently high level of average salaries. For example, excluding any benefits contained in the Department of Personnel, Culture and Communications senior management, excluding the deputy minister, averages $107,000. The N.W.T.T.A. President's salary is $133,000, although that is, Mr. Chairman, recovered, the Women's Directorate averages $110,000, the Ottawa position secondment is $107,000, again, Mr. Chairman, this position is recovered, Municipal and Community Affairs Land Claims Review averaged $104,000, Education high school coordinator averaged $98,000.