I would just like to ask the Premier if he could get me that information so we could review it, just as long as we get an idea. I would like to have an opportunity to look at all aspects of the Executive, which includes travel. I would like that information as soon as possible. I will cancel my motion.
Debates of May 27th, 1996
Topics
Committee Report 2-13(3): Standing Committee On Infrastructure Report On The Review Of The 1996-97 Main Estimates
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 680
Committee Report 2-13(3): Standing Committee On Infrastructure Report On The Review Of The 1996-97 Main Estimates
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 680
Committee Report 2-13(3): Standing Committee On Infrastructure Report On The Review Of The 1996-97 Main Estimates
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 680
Committee Report 2-13(3): Standing Committee On Infrastructure Report On The Review Of The 1996-97 Main Estimates
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 680
The Chair Vince Steen
The motion is withdrawn.
--- Withdrawn
Ministers' Offices
We will turn back to Ministers' offices. Operations and maintenance, total operations and maintenance, Mr. Morin.
Committee Report 2-13(3): Standing Committee On Infrastructure Report On The Review Of The 1996-97 Main Estimates
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 680
Don Morin Tu Nedhe
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I would like to thank the Member for being reasonable. I do have the number of $642,000 for total executive offices' travel and transportation. I don't have that broken down by Ministers. I just have that lump sum. I didn't bring that with me in my briefing books. Thank you.
Committee Report 2-13(3): Standing Committee On Infrastructure Report On The Review Of The 1996-97 Main Estimates
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 680
Committee Report 2-13(3): Standing Committee On Infrastructure Report On The Review Of The 1996-97 Main Estimates
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 680
Some Hon. Members
Agreed.
--- Agreed
Committee Report 2-13(3): Standing Committee On Infrastructure Report On The Review Of The 1996-97 Main Estimates
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 680
Committee Report 2-13(3): Standing Committee On Infrastructure Report On The Review Of The 1996-97 Main Estimates
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 680
Some Hon. Members
Agreed.
--- Agreed
Committee Report 2-13(3): Standing Committee On Infrastructure Report On The Review Of The 1996-97 Main Estimates
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 680
The Chair Vince Steen
Does the committee agree that we defer consideration of the program summary until consideration of Bill 10, Budget Measures Implementation Act, 1996-97, has been concluded?
Committee Report 2-13(3): Standing Committee On Infrastructure Report On The Review Of The 1996-97 Main Estimates
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 680
Some Hon. Members
Agreed.
--- Agreed
Committee Report 2-13(3): Standing Committee On Infrastructure Report On The Review Of The 1996-97 Main Estimates
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 680
Committee Report 2-13(3): Standing Committee On Infrastructure Report On The Review Of The 1996-97 Main Estimates
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 681
Don Morin Tu Nedhe
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I would just like to thank the committee for passing this budget and thank the staff for their help in preparing it.
Committee Report 2-13(3): Standing Committee On Infrastructure Report On The Review Of The 1996-97 Main Estimates
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 681
The Chair Vince Steen
Thank you, Mr. Morin. I need some direction now from the committee. Mr. Ootes.
Committee Report 2-13(3): Standing Committee On Infrastructure Report On The Review Of The 1996-97 Main Estimates
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 681
Jake Ootes Yellowknife Centre
I would like to recommend, Mr. Chairman, that we carry on with Bill 11 and the Financial Management Board Secretariat next, followed by the Legislative Assembly.
Committee Report 2-13(3): Standing Committee On Infrastructure Report On The Review Of The 1996-97 Main Estimates
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 681
Committee Report 2-13(3): Standing Committee On Infrastructure Report On The Review Of The 1996-97 Main Estimates
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 681
Some Hon. Members
Agreed.
--- Agreed
Financial Management Board Secretariat
Committee Report 2-13(3): Standing Committee On Infrastructure Report On The Review Of The 1996-97 Main Estimates
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 681
The Chair Vince Steen
Financial Management Board Secretariat, page 2-25. I will ask the Minister responsible, Mr. Todd, to provide us with opening comments on the department's estimates.
Minister's Introductory Remarks
Committee Report 2-13(3): Standing Committee On Infrastructure Report On The Review Of The 1996-97 Main Estimates
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 681
John Todd Keewatin Central
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, the Financial Management Board Secretariat provides support and services to the FMB and departments. The secretariat's responsibilities include comptrollership; human resource management; information management; internal audit, budgeting, evaluation; and, operational and capital planning.
Mr. Chairman, the secretariat's 1996-97 budget requests a total of $50.829 million and 202.1 person years. The budget has been adjusted to reflect increases resulting from the transfer of staff housing from Public Works and Services; devolution of Arctic A airports from the federal government; and, an increase in the power subsidy support.
Mr. Chairman, the proposed FMBS budget reflects a strategic direction within the FMBS to downsize and reduce the amount of bureaucratic red tape in the management of government operations. We expect this approach to lead to greater flexibility for departments and reduce the administrative overhead associated with the current system. In FMBS, this means fewer resources are required for many functions. This budget reflects a 23 per cent reduction to the projected 1995-96 actuals and a 16 per cent reduction in person years.
Mr. Chairman, in addition to the new directions I have already mentioned, the secretariat will also be supporting several major initiatives. FMBS is coordinating and supporting the development of an effective strategy for the management of the government's information resources and systems. In the current year, the most significant initiative is the government's support for the cost-effective development of an advanced telecommunications network capable of bringing the benefits of the information highway to all northerners. This network will facilitate distance education, telemedicine, video conferencing and economical use of the Internet.
In support of the government's concern to provide greater access to housing, the FMBS will be promoting home ownership for employees. An important component of our strategy is getting a mortgage and loan company up and running to improve availability of mortgage loans for potential purchasers. To this end, I will be making a motion at the appropriate time, Mr. Chairman, to amend the appropriation act to increase the budget of Economic Development and Tourism by $5 million, to make the government's initial equity investment in the mortgage and loan company.
FMBS is also finalizing the report on the review of the affirmative action policy, which I will be bringing forward to the Standing Committee on Government Operations, I believe, tomorrow. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Committee Report 2-13(3): Standing Committee On Infrastructure Report On The Review Of The 1996-97 Main Estimates
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 681
The Chair Vince Steen
Thank you, Mr. Todd. I will now ask the Member of the Infrastructure committee, Jane Groenewegen, to supply us with comments from the Standing Committee on Infrastructure.
Committee Report 2-13(3): Standing Committee On Infrastructure Report On The Review Of The 1996-97 Main Estimates
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 681
Committee Report 2-13(3): Standing Committee On Infrastructure Report On The Review Of The 1996-97 Main Estimates
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 681
Jane Groenewegen Hay River
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. It is my pleasure to present the comments of the Standing Committee on Infrastructure regarding this secretariat. Referring to the 24 options, the standing committee suggested that the Financial Management Board Secretariat should develop proposals for sharing its staff and services -such as payroll and other human resource related functions - with health boards, education boards, hospitals and related agencies in the regions. Further, the FMBS should also develop further proposals to devolve compensation services and other human resource related functions to departments. While options have been developed by FMBS for consideration, the standing committee recommends that specific proposals be developed and provided to the committee for evaluation by June 15, 1996.
Staff Housing
As the government agency primarily responsible for expenditure control, the standing committee feels that the FMBS should be more active in developing and implementing creative solutions to the government's expenditure crisis.
Committee Members would like to see the FMBS encouraging government departments to implement more cost-saving measures, such as:
- requiring that all air travel be on excursion-fare tickets;
- replacing grants to third parties with low-interest loans, where possible;
- reimplementing an incentive program for employee suggestions;
- amalgamating regional boards and authorities, where practical; and,
- gearing income support programs towards job creation and away from handouts.
Committee Members feel strongly that much of the government's budgeting and spending problems can be corrected through creative measures such as these. Thank you.
Committee Report 2-13(3): Standing Committee On Infrastructure Report On The Review Of The 1996-97 Main Estimates
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 682
The Chair Vince Steen
Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. I would now ask the Minister if he would like to bring in witnesses.
Committee Report 2-13(3): Standing Committee On Infrastructure Report On The Review Of The 1996-97 Main Estimates
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 682
John Todd Keewatin Central
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I would, indeed.
Committee Report 2-13(3): Standing Committee On Infrastructure Report On The Review Of The 1996-97 Main Estimates
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 682