Return to Written Question 13-12(7), asked by Ms. Mike and replied to by the Minister of Personnel concerning employment status of government liaison officers in the Baffin region.

1. Notices of lay-off were given this month to GLOs in the Baffin region to accept or reject new half-time positions. What has been the response of GLOs to these lay-off notices and new job offers?

Answer: Between February 13 and 15, 1995, nine GLOs in the Baffin region were offered new half-time positions by the Department of Personnel. The GLOs were asked to confirm their acceptance of the offer within five business days. They were also advised that if they did not accept the offer, a recommendation would be put forward to the chairman of the Financial Management Board to provide them with notification of lay-off.

Following issue of the revised job offers:

- The Arctic Bay GLO position has been assessed and, as that position also serves the community of Nanisivik, it has been returned to a full-time position for the fiscal year 1995/96. The part-time job offer has been rescinded and the incumbent has been advised that her services will be maintained on a full-time basis at this time.

- The Department of Health and Social Services has agreed to provide funding for part-time positions for the delivery of certain social services functions in the communities of Pond Inlet, Igloolik and Pangnirtung. The incumbent Pond Inlet, Igloolik and Pangnirtung GLOs have been offered, and have accepted, amended, full-time job offers which include responsibilities for the delivery of services for both the Department of the Executive and Department of Health and Social Services.

- The remaining Baffin GLOs have not accepted the half-time positions offered. The government is now proceeding with notifications of lay-off, but incumbent GLOs can still accept the half-time position offered until such time as the notification of lay-off is received.

2. Will GLOs who refuse to accept the new half-time job offer be offered the benefit of the workforce adjustment policy?

Answer: GLOs who receive lay-off notices will be provided all entitlements under the lay-off provisions of the UNW collective agreement, including severance pay and priority status on competitions within the GNWT for a period of one year following their lay-off. The question of whether further benefits would be available under the workforce adjustment program has not yet been resolved. The Financial Management Board Secretariat and the Union of Northern Workers are pursuing these discussions.

3. Has the government undertaken a study of the daily work requirements of GLOs in the Baffin region? What were the results of that study?

Answer: A review of the daily work requirements of the GLOs in the Baffin region has been completed. As a result of this review, it was determined that the Arctic Bay GLO position should remain full-time as it also serves the community of Nanisivik.

4. What departments of the Government of the Northwest Territories have GLOs in Baffin communities been serving?

Answer: At present, the GLOs conduct business in varying degrees on behalf of a number of departments and government agencies. In the case of the Department of Health and Social Services, it has been determined that the need for delivery of certain social services functions in Pond Inlet, Igloolik and Pangnirtung is sufficient for that department to commit to funding part-time positions for the GLOs in each of these communities.

The Department of Executive has been involved in discussions with other interested parties to determine how services will be provided once the GLOs become half-time. For example, the Hamlet of Cape Dorset may be interested in taking over the half-time GLO position in that community. If the hamlet assumes responsibility for the half-time position, it might be combined with other responsibilities for one full-time position.

5. Are there any plans to have GLOs in the Baffin region deliver social services for the Department of Education, Culture and Employment in the coming fiscal year?

Answer: The Department of Executive is engaged in discussions with the various departments to determine how services will be provided in future. It has been determined that the delivery of social assistance does entail a significant amount of time; however, no decisions have been made as to whether or not this will include the services of the GLOs.