Mr. Chairman, yes, the senior high school students are involved in the program for summer student employment but, as you know, because they get out of school later, they come on later on in the season.
Debates of April 11th, 1995
Topics
Bill 1: Appropriation Act, No. 2, 1995-96Committee Report 4-12(7): Report On The Review Of The 1995-96 Main Estimates
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 969
Nellie Cournoyea Nunakput
Bill 1: Appropriation Act, No. 2, 1995-96Committee Report 4-12(7): Report On The Review Of The 1995-96 Main Estimates
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 969
The Chair Tony Whitford
Thank you, Madam Premier. All done, Mr. Patterson? Thank you, the chair now recognizes the Member for Thebacha, Mrs. Marie-Jewell.
Bill 1: Appropriation Act, No. 2, 1995-96Committee Report 4-12(7): Report On The Review Of The 1995-96 Main Estimates
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 969
Jeannie Marie-Jewell Thebacha
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I have a couple of comments which brings me to a couple of questions. Since the Premier has indicated that this particular department would be devolved into a secretariat effective April 1st -- you have noticed over the past couple of years, certainly I wouldn't state a downsizing of the department but a reallocation of the department -- many of the responsibilities have been granted to FMBS for the purposes of tying it in with negotiations and recognizing the cost factors of the public service, which I agree with.
However, at the same time, the Personnel departments is one of the important department in bringing in people into this system. I am somewhat concerned with the fact that the secretariat being set up...Are you looking at setting up something like a public service commission? It seems over the past couple of years there has been human resource positions allocated to each department.
The concern that I have about that with our affirmative action program in place is how is this going to be monitored through a secretariat? With regard to the human resources positions allocated to each department, how are the hiring procedures going to be followed? Because as soon as you give the responsibility to the departments, you are going to allow for the process to possibly be implemented unfairly.
We all know government now has a bad reputation many times, in certain departments, of hiring people who they know and not for what they know. What I would like to know is how are you going to avoid this. Those are some of my comments, Mr. Chairman. Thanks.
Bill 1: Appropriation Act, No. 2, 1995-96Committee Report 4-12(7): Report On The Review Of The 1995-96 Main Estimates
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 969
Bill 1: Appropriation Act, No. 2, 1995-96Committee Report 4-12(7): Report On The Review Of The 1995-96 Main Estimates
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 969
Nellie Cournoyea Nunakput
Mr. Chairman, we didn't, at this time, contemplate a commission. Perhaps it is something that will have to be contemplated in the next government, but right at this point in time, we are not contemplating setting up a commission.
The secretariat is within the Executive which would be providing support and ongoing monitoring at the will of the Legislative Assembly and direction of this Assembly. The secretariat will still be doing the hiring and staffing. So there is no intention to change the staffing process within the secretariat. We will still be adhering to the appeal process that has been established from the time the honourable Member had been the Minister responsible and instituted a strong appeal process. So that will still be established, we are not advocating taking that away.
Bill 1: Appropriation Act, No. 2, 1995-96Committee Report 4-12(7): Report On The Review Of The 1995-96 Main Estimates
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 969
Bill 1: Appropriation Act, No. 2, 1995-96Committee Report 4-12(7): Report On The Review Of The 1995-96 Main Estimates
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 969
Jeannie Marie-Jewell Thebacha
Just another question, Mr. Chairman. Is it the intention of the Minister to still allow, in addition, a casual employment area of responsibility with the Personnel Secretariat that is being set up? Thank you.
Bill 1: Appropriation Act, No. 2, 1995-96Committee Report 4-12(7): Report On The Review Of The 1995-96 Main Estimates
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 969
Bill 1: Appropriation Act, No. 2, 1995-96Committee Report 4-12(7): Report On The Review Of The 1995-96 Main Estimates
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 969
Nellie Cournoyea Nunakput
Mr. Chairman, placing casuals has been part of the responsibility. And we will continue to, there is no plan to change that. So, the secretariat of Personnel would continue to place casuals.
Bill 1: Appropriation Act, No. 2, 1995-96Committee Report 4-12(7): Report On The Review Of The 1995-96 Main Estimates
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 970
Bill 1: Appropriation Act, No. 2, 1995-96Committee Report 4-12(7): Report On The Review Of The 1995-96 Main Estimates
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 970
Jeannie Marie-Jewell Thebacha
Maybe the Premier could explain to some of the Members the difference between a department and a secretariat. Responsibilities have been devolved from that department to FMBS over the past couple of years and now there is a move to develop a secretariat. Could I just get an explanation of the difference? Thank you.
Bill 1: Appropriation Act, No. 2, 1995-96Committee Report 4-12(7): Report On The Review Of The 1995-96 Main Estimates
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 970
Bill 1: Appropriation Act, No. 2, 1995-96Committee Report 4-12(7): Report On The Review Of The 1995-96 Main Estimates
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 970
Nellie Cournoyea Nunakput
Mr. Chairman, the only fundamental change is their financial administration would come from the Executive. Other than that, the secretariat, because it is a secretariat does not have to have all of the components and trappings of a department and it is very much more of a focused section under the Executive. It isn't advocated that there is a change in the job function, other than what has been transferred on housing and that would be a more focused section for Personnel.
Bill 1: Appropriation Act, No. 2, 1995-96Committee Report 4-12(7): Report On The Review Of The 1995-96 Main Estimates
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 970
Bill 1: Appropriation Act, No. 2, 1995-96Committee Report 4-12(7): Report On The Review Of The 1995-96 Main Estimates
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 970
Jeannie Marie-Jewell Thebacha
The other question that I wanted to ask is in developing a secretariat, how does this effect the Public Service Act?
Bill 1: Appropriation Act, No. 2, 1995-96Committee Report 4-12(7): Report On The Review Of The 1995-96 Main Estimates
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 970
Bill 1: Appropriation Act, No. 2, 1995-96Committee Report 4-12(7): Report On The Review Of The 1995-96 Main Estimates
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 970
Nellie Cournoyea Nunakput
Mr. Chairman, my understanding is it does not make any changes at all.
Bill 1: Appropriation Act, No. 2, 1995-96Committee Report 4-12(7): Report On The Review Of The 1995-96 Main Estimates
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 970
Bill 1: Appropriation Act, No. 2, 1995-96Committee Report 4-12(7): Report On The Review Of The 1995-96 Main Estimates
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 970
Jeannie Marie-Jewell Thebacha
Just to clarify, no proposed changes will be required in the future. Thank you.
Bill 1: Appropriation Act, No. 2, 1995-96Committee Report 4-12(7): Report On The Review Of The 1995-96 Main Estimates
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 970
Bill 1: Appropriation Act, No. 2, 1995-96Committee Report 4-12(7): Report On The Review Of The 1995-96 Main Estimates
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 970
Nellie Cournoyea Nunakput
That's correct. Mr. Chairman, I would like Mr. Bohnet to clarify in case I have forgotten something.
Bill 1: Appropriation Act, No. 2, 1995-96Committee Report 4-12(7): Report On The Review Of The 1995-96 Main Estimates
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 970
Bill 1: Appropriation Act, No. 2, 1995-96Committee Report 4-12(7): Report On The Review Of The 1995-96 Main Estimates
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 970
Bohnet
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The Public Service Act is assigned to the Minister responsible for the Financial Management Board Secretariat. The staffing section of the act is delegated to the deputy head of Personnel Secretariat.
Bill 1: Appropriation Act, No. 2, 1995-96Committee Report 4-12(7): Report On The Review Of The 1995-96 Main Estimates
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 970
Bill 1: Appropriation Act, No. 2, 1995-96Committee Report 4-12(7): Report On The Review Of The 1995-96 Main Estimates
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 970
Jeannie Marie-Jewell Thebacha
Thank you. The other comment that I have is with regard to student hiring. Mr. Chairman, how was this department taking the most advantage of student hiring in
conjunction with the program that was announced by the federal government? Thank you.