Thank you, Mr. Chairman. We are getting into the detail that is available on page 26. The reason the number of vacancies is so high is because we froze hiring in the three departments last March, when the amalgamation of the three departments was announced. We have also reserved first opportunity for affected employees of which there are 163 in the three departments. There were 163 employees who were affected as a result of the amalgamation. There are 163 people whose job was going to be changed a little bit or whose job was no longer going to be in existence, who were given first opportunity to apply for similar jobs or a new job within the department. Clerical staff, for instance, some positions were eliminated but new ones were created, but they were still defined as a different job. We had to go through a process of allowing people to apply for them. We held those within the department. Many of them were resolved without any difficulty. Some 52 employees of the 163 chose voluntary layoff. While we are holding a number of positions for them to apply for in the hopes that most of them will fill these new positions, 52 of them chose not to. That is what created the abnormally high number of vacancies.
Stephen Kakfwi on Committee Motion 20-13(4): Recommendation That Inuvik And Iqaluit Hospital Replacements Begin In 1998/99
In the Legislative Assembly on February 21st, 1997. See this statement in context.
Committee Motion 20-13(4): Recommendation That Inuvik And Iqaluit Hospital Replacements Begin In 1998/99
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
February 21st, 1997
Page 799
See context to find out what was said next.