Yes, Madam Chair. It is a variety of issues. Of course, the one thing I did forget to say it is also an expenditure required for us to participate in the tribunal process. These dollars are for legal services and Mr. Steen is correct, tribunal staff, from services contracts required for expertise at the table, travel and accommodation, some equipment in that area. That is what these dollars are required for, Madam Chair.
Debates of Oct. 15th, 1997
Topics
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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John Todd Keewatin Central
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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Vince Steen Nunakput
Thank you, Madam Chair. Madam Chair, does the Minister have or would it be appropriate to ask the Minister at this time to give the committee what his overall cost might end up to be?
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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John Todd Keewatin Central
Well, it depends, if he is talking about this request for $1.5 million, as I said earlier in my statement today, I am sort of hopeful and optimistic that all parties will come to the table and come to a timely, affordable and equitable arrangement and not selling my desire for public assumption so everyone knows I am on the record. That is my desire. My personal preference would be sooner rather than later that we come to an arrangement. I think that we are optimistic as we move towards negotiations that our partners in the process, the UNW, will come to the table with that in mind. Accordingly, I am giving clear direction to our staff that I
want a settlement, and I want a settlement that is affordable. I think everybody knows there are some limitations to our fiscal framework, and I am again, reasonably confident that all parties will enter the negotiations with that in mind. If that is the case and with some optimism, we can see an arrangement before April 1, 1998 as I indicated in my speech earlier today. Thank you.
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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Vince Steen Nunakput
Thank you, Madam Chair. I was not really asking whether or not the overall cost of the settlement would be. I was referring to the legal cost involved. What do we expect the legal cost to settle this dispute is going to be? We estimate here $1.5 million roughly. What type of timeframe is that going to cover, six months, a year? Does the Minister have an estimate of how long these legal discussions are going to go on?
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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John Todd Keewatin Central
Nobody can second guess negotiations and how long they will take and the fact that we have come to this unfortunate situation where we were not able to make an arrangement with each other and have had to rely upon a third party to mediate. We are fairly confident, if we can meet and negotiate an affordable settlement by April 1, 1998, that the dollars we have here under the special warrant are sufficient to cover all the costs in respect to what we have to do with legal, tribunal, service contracts, travel accommodations and all the kinds of things necessary for our key staff. April 1, 1998 that is certainly our desire and that is why I made that clear in my comment to the above pay equity. We are fairly confident with those numbers that we can do that, and that is why we brought this in as a special warrant. Thank you, Madam Chair.
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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The Chair Jane Groenewegen
Thank you, Mr. Todd. Department of the Executive operations and maintenance, human resource management, special warrants, $1,577,879.
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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The Chair Jane Groenewegen
Agreed? Thank you. Government Accounting, not previously authorized, negative $700,800. Agreed? Thank you. Audit budgeting and evaluation, not previously authorized, $5,000. Agreed? Thank you. Total department, special warrants, $1,577,879. Agreed? Thank you. Not previously authorized, negative $474,300. Agreed? Thank you. Department of Finance, operations and maintenance, directorate, not previously authorized, $59,400. Agreed? Thank you. Total department, not previously authorized, $59,400. Agreed? Thank you. Department of Municipal and Community Affairs, operations and maintenance, corporate affairs, not previously authorized, $109,500. Agreed? Thank you. Community operations, not previously authorized, $65,000. Agreed? Thank you. Regional operations, not previously authorized, $135,000. Agreed? Thank you. Total department, not previously authorized, $309,500. Agreed? Thank you. Mr. Picco.
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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Edward Picco Iqaluit
Thank you, Madam Chairperson. Regional operations to transfer from DPW, I am wondering if the service was previously provided by DPW. Is this some type of community empowerment initiative taking place through MACA?
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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John Todd Keewatin Central
Madam Chair, my honourable colleague is correct, this is required by the Dene First Nation in Hay River to do this work previously done by Public Works. Yes, correct.
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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Edward Picco Iqaluit
Thank you, Madam Chairperson. For the First Nation to take over this work from DPW, does that mean DPW laid off the employees who were doing that work or have they hired new employees? Would there be associated costs if this is transferred and they had to lay off the people, we would have to pick that up? I wonder is it just a straight transfer with the First Nations taking it over or indeed we had to lay off people to facilitate this or maybe did they hire the people who were doing the job previously? Thank you, Madam Chairperson.
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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John Todd Keewatin Central
I do not have that level of detail with respect to this transfer, but this is consistent with the policy of this government in relationship with community empowerment. That is all we are doing here.
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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The Chair Jane Groenewegen
Thank you, Mr. Todd. Department of Municipal and Community Affairs, operations and maintenance, regional operations, not previously authorized. Mr. Picco.
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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Edward Picco Iqaluit
Thank you, Madam Chairperson. I appreciate that the Minister does not have that level of detail on supplementary appropriation. I am wondering if the Minister could actually look at the transfers that have taken place to see how many employees we have lost through this initiative. Thank you.
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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John Todd Keewatin Central
Yes, Madam Chair. I will do that.
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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Edward Picco Iqaluit
Thank you. I am glad and appreciate the Minister confirming that indeed he will get back to me and let me know how many people lost their jobs through community empowerment by transferring services to different groups and organizations, operations and maintenance funding. I am wondering if the Minister would be able to do that in written form to me and if you can give me some indication as to when that information would be made available.
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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