Thank you. Mrs. Marie-Jewell.
Debates of Dec. 8th, 1993
Topics
Committee Motion 79-12(4): To Amend Schedule To Bill 1, Carried
Item 18: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 561
Committee Motion 79-12(4): To Amend Schedule To Bill 1, Carried
Item 18: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 561
Jeannie Marie-Jewell Thebacha
I have no further comments, Mr. Chairman. It is just that this amount doubles the initial budget presented to this House. It reflects lack of planning. That is basically the comment that I wanted to make. If the decision to amalgamate departments was being planned, then it should have been reflected in the initial budget. That is the only comment that I have. Thank you.
Committee Motion 79-12(4): To Amend Schedule To Bill 1, Carried
Item 18: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 561
Committee Motion 79-12(4): To Amend Schedule To Bill 1, Carried
Item 18: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 562
Fred Koe Inuvik
My colleagues have already raised that. I was going to mention it.
Committee Motion 79-12(4): To Amend Schedule To Bill 1, Carried
Item 18: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 562
The Chair Tony Whitford
Thank you, Mr. Koe. Total department, special warrant, $41.015 million. Mrs. Marie-Jewell.
Committee Motion 79-12(4): To Amend Schedule To Bill 1, Carried
Item 18: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 562
Jeannie Marie-Jewell Thebacha
Mr. Chairman, I just had one question with regard to placing FMBS in the Executive and, as a result, changing PYs and reallocating the money. Does it have any effect on the Financial Administration Act of the department? I've asked for a legal opinion on it. I want to ask if it has any legal implications with regard to their responsibilities under the FAA? Thank you.
Committee Motion 79-12(4): To Amend Schedule To Bill 1, Carried
Item 18: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 562
Committee Motion 79-12(4): To Amend Schedule To Bill 1, Carried
Item 18: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 562
John Pollard Hay River
Mr. Chairman, there are going to be things in there that we want to clean up, but I don't think we have breached, violated or gone against the FAA. But, as I say, there are some things in there that we will, ultimately, want to clean up. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Committee Motion 79-12(4): To Amend Schedule To Bill 1, Carried
Item 18: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 562
Committee Motion 79-12(4): To Amend Schedule To Bill 1, Carried
Item 18: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 562
Jeannie Marie-Jewell Thebacha
Mr. Chairman, could I just get a legal opinion on that, since the law clerk is readily available?
Committee Motion 79-12(4): To Amend Schedule To Bill 1, Carried
Item 18: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 562
Committee Motion 79-12(4): To Amend Schedule To Bill 1, Carried
Item 18: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 562
Law Clerk Ms. Macpherson
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Under the Financial Administration Act, the FMB doesn't have to be placed in a particular department. The only stipulation is that the Minister of Finance presides over the board. So, having the FMB placed within the FMBS doesn't violate the letter of the law. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Committee Motion 79-12(4): To Amend Schedule To Bill 1, Carried
Item 18: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 562
Committee Motion 79-12(4): To Amend Schedule To Bill 1, Carried
Item 18: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 562
Jeannie Marie-Jewell Thebacha
Will there be changes in legislation that may have been affected as a result of this change? I guess what I'm trying to find out, Mr. Chairman, is how do you ensure that you keep the financial and audit sections independent, since they've now all been amalgamated under the Executive? Finance has always been know to be sort of the watchdog over all departments. Maybe this is the cause of some of our financial systems breaking down. I'm trying to find out, will there be necessary changes to legislation to accommodate this change here? Thank you.
Committee Motion 79-12(4): To Amend Schedule To Bill 1, Carried
Item 18: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 562
Committee Motion 79-12(4): To Amend Schedule To Bill 1, Carried
Item 18: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 562
John Pollard Hay River
Mr. Chairman, one of the reasons for this whole move around, was so we could get the Department of Finance dealing with the way we raise revenue, negotiations with provinces, other territories and the federal government, how we generate money and where our money comes from. The idea was that FMBS would be concerned only with how we spend the money. Consequently, we feel that, in future, we'll have a better idea of how we're spending money. With the audit and evaluation capabilities that we're gaining right now, we will be able to say whether we're spending that money according to policy and whether we're spending it in accordance with the Financial Administration Act.
We will also be able to say how effective programs are. I think the move was made to get a better handle on what is happening in the government, where the money is going, and how it is being spent. I think it will become more effective in the future, Mr. Chairman. Thank you.
Committee Motion 79-12(4): To Amend Schedule To Bill 1, Carried
Item 18: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 562
Committee Motion 79-12(4): To Amend Schedule To Bill 1, Carried
Item 18: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 562
Jeannie Marie-Jewell Thebacha
Thank you. I just have one further question. Under FMBS, you have a deputy minister. FMBS is going into the Department of the Executive. The Department of the Executive also has one deputy minister. How do you have two deputy ministers for one department? How is that justified?
Committee Motion 79-12(4): To Amend Schedule To Bill 1, Carried
Item 18: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 562
Committee Motion 79-12(4): To Amend Schedule To Bill 1, Carried
Item 18: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 562
John Pollard Hay River
Mr. Chairman, there are actually three deputy ministers in the Department of the Executive. Mr. Overvold is a deputy minister as well. As I said previously, Mr. Voytilla, and Mr. Overvold's departments are housed within the Department of the Executive, admittedly. But, they are full departments, and consequently have deputy minister. They are housed in the Department of Executive for expediency and efficiency. Mr. Alvarez is the senior deputy minister in the Government of the Northwest Territories. He is the deputy minister of the Executive. But, that does not mean that Mr. Voytilla and Mr. Overvold work for him, per se.
They still work directly for the Ministers that are responsible for those particular departments, recognizing of course, that in his capacity as the senior deputy minister, Mr. Alvarez really does have rank over all the other deputy ministers in the Government of the Northwest Territories. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Committee Motion 79-12(4): To Amend Schedule To Bill 1, Carried
Item 18: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 562
Committee Motion 79-12(4): To Amend Schedule To Bill 1, Carried
Item 18: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 562
Jeannie Marie-Jewell Thebacha
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I have noted that all the "agrees" come from that side of the House. Mr. Chairman, is it possible to get the latest update with regard to the organizational chart of the Executive, with all the recent changes so we know who is who and who is where now? Thank you.
Committee Motion 79-12(4): To Amend Schedule To Bill 1, Carried
Item 18: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 562
Committee Motion 79-12(4): To Amend Schedule To Bill 1, Carried
Item 18: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 562
John Pollard Hay River
Mr. Chairman, we provided that to the Standing Committee on Finance in October, but we'll be glad to provide it again to the Member. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Committee Motion 79-12(4): To Amend Schedule To Bill 1, Carried
Item 18: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
December 8th, 1993
Page 562