Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, I am pleased to present the Department of Safety and Public Services 1994-95 capital main estimates. The total capital requirements for the Department of Safety and Public Services, as determined by the capital needs assessment, are $185,000.

The capital needs of the department are, for the most part, driven by enforcement legislation. Section 35(3) of the Mining Safety Act requires that the government provide and repair mine rescue equipment. Expenditures of this nature, $35,000, are recovered from the active mines, through an assessment and credited to a capital recovery account. An additional $50,000 is required by mine safety for environmental testing equipment to ensure that environmental standards for safe working conditions in underground mines, as specified in legislation, are complied with.

The safety division requires $85,000 for occupational health lab equipment to test for a variety of metal, gas, chemical, radiation and fibre or dust particles that could affect the health and safety of exposed people.

The department has a requirement for one additional vehicle for a gas inspector stationed in Hay River who will be responsible for gas inspections in all communities south of the lake. Travel to and from these communities is much more timely and cost-effective, if done by ground transportation.

Mr. Chairman, the primary mandate of my department is to administer public safety in the Northwest Territories, including promoting and enforcing public and worker safety, and protecting the interests of workers and residents. These goals are ones which my department is, and will continue, meeting as efficiently as possible. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The committee accepts the department's substantiation for the modest capital budget put forward for the fiscal year 1994-95. This budget includes mine rescue, occupational health and environmental equipment and an inspection vehicle. Committee Members assume that these items are required to comply with enforcement provisions under the various acts that the department administers.

Mr. Chairman, the officials aren't here at this time, but given the size of the budget -- and it is clearly defined -- I think I should be in a position to defend it, thank you.

(Microphones turned off)

Thank you. I have a few general comments, Mr. Chairman, with regard to...

They're here now. I wonder if I can have permission to ask the witnesses to come forward?

Agreed.

---Agreed

Yes, sorry about that, Mr. Chairman. On my right is Mr. Henry Dragon, who is the director of Finance for the Department of Safety and Public Services.

Mr. Chairman, I just wanted to ask the Minister, since he is asking for additional vehicles for his inspectors, -- and particularly one inspector who is currently in Hay River -- is there any initiative for the near future to look at possibly expanding these inspectors into other areas of the territories? I recognize that this is something of an O and M item, but it does have future impact on expenditures in the capital budget. So, I'd like to ask the Minister if he can indicate to this House whether or not there will be consideration for expansion of the safety division? Thank you.

Well, in an ideal world, of course we all need more positions and I know I have tried in the past. But, again, due to restraint and the fiscal condition of the department, I'm not anticipating -- at least in the short-term -- any additional positions than we currently have. We are certainly making every effort to develop a paper to see if additional inspectors, not just in this particular jurisdiction, but also in others, can be obtained. But, at this time, I'm not anticipating any expansion of person years.

I recognize, Mr. Chairman, in an ideal world the need for additional inspectors. But, at the same time, recognizing the amount of construction that is going on in the many different communities in the real world, there is a need for inspectors before one particular group of construction can allow another group to proceed. It also impedes their ability to be able to get paid for this construction. At times, it is very difficult for construction workers and construction business people to be looked after. This is due to the inability of Safety and Public Services to provide the services of inspectors.

This is why I was trying to find out whether there is any intention to look at this. Other ways I have suggested before in this House, are either contract recruitment or possibly doing away with some of the requirements that this particular department imposes so they can close up their buildings and get the appropriate claims, et cetera. I do fully recognize that from being, in my former life, in the industry. All I'm saying is, I'm working hard to try and find other ways in which to do it. Right now, getting additional PYs, I don't think, is a saleable idea. We'll have to be a little more creative and that's what we're going to endeavour to do. I fully realize what the issue is, it's across the territories, it does have a serious fiscal impact on the contractors, but I'm not sure, at this time, what the ideal solution is. Right now we're certainly not in a position to bring forward new positions. I know, when the honourable Member had talked to me before, we're currently looking at the possibilities of contracting some of that out, particularly in the areas where we can get easy access. Thank you.

Agreed.

---Agreed

Line By Line

Safety

Agreed.

---Agreed