Thank you. Mr. Todd.
Debates of Feb. 5th, 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
Page 430
The Chair John Ningark
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
Page 430
John Todd Keewatin Central
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. It is getting late so I always like to view myself as quality, not necessarily quantity. In the case that my honourable colleague alludes to, if those circumstances did occur, then it is incorrect. The employee that was effected should appeal and we will take whatever steps are necessary to hear the appeal. Absolutely.
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 John Ningark
Thank you. Total operations and maintenance is, Mr. Roland.
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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Floyd Roland Inuvik
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I have a question that I will go to earlier, with a line of questioning by a number of Members here. Mr. Todd, you indicated that there would be a small amount of people who would have received a severance package or layoff notice and then been re-hired on contract or so on. I am not looking for individuals names or anything like that, but I think there would be a concern there, when we are cutting budgets and reducing, that people hearing that someone had received a lay off notice and was hired on contract would be perceived to be double dipping. As you stated, that probably does not happen. But if they are re-hired, they are re-hired in a different area, and you are saying that is probably a very small number. Could you, in a way, check this out to verify numbers and inform Members? 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
Page 430
The Chair John Ningark
Thank you. Mr. Todd.
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
Page 430
John Todd Keewatin Central
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I think it is important that I say again, just for clarity purposes, that it is not double dipping. I know it may be perceived as such, but the fact is it just simply is not. As long as they meet the criteria that is set under the code of conduct and ethics, and the
compensation package under the severance package is past duties. I would be prepared to look at just how many are out there. I do not see an awful lot of that, because I have not taken or paid a lot of attention to it. Unless it was flagrant, epidemic proportions, there would be no need to do it. I can say that I have done some work with previous employees that are better to say that here in the House, previous employees that were severance packaged to do some work for me. I think it is important that I say that so I will look into the matter and try to get some indication of the level of it. If you give me a couple of days, maybe later next week, somebody in the House can ask me a question and I would be able to respond to it. However, I think you will get a much more accurate, quantifiable, analysis of how much that it is going on when you get the contract reporting that we provide to the House on an on-going basis. 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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The Chair John Ningark
Thank you. Human Resource Management. We have Mr. Steen.
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, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, I believe last year we received from the Finance Minister, the exact cost for severance packages. I wonder if that is still at his fingertips.
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 John Ningark
Thank you. Mr. Minister.
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 am having some, like my honourable colleague, I do have a hearing problem in my ears and I am having some difficulty with the sound system. I wonder if my honourable colleague could repeat the question and I apologize for not being able to hear him the first time.
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
Page 431
The Chair John Ningark
Obviously, Mr. Todd, the hair is a little greyer than before. Mr. Steen.
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, Mr. Chairman. My question was, last year Financial Management Board Secretariat supplied us with the total cost for severance packages, and I wonder if that information is still at the fingertips of the Minister.
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
Page 431
The Chair John Ningark
Thank you, Mr. Steen. Mr. Minister.
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 information with me today, but I can provide it and will provide it to my colleague in the House later on this week. 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
Page 431
The Chair John Ningark
Thank you. Mr. Steen.
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
Mr. Chairman, I guess what I am getting at here is that we laid off x-number of employees, and we paid out severance packages and now the concern is coming back as to whether or not we are hiring any staff back on. I know that part of the million dollars that is being identified for the four departments that is mentioned in the budget address, suggested that there should be nine positions involved in this million dollars. I am not sure if this is nine new positions, or what. It suggests to me that we will be hiring people back on that we were laying off. I have a concern as well, as to whether or not the severance package deal was actually a money saving operation or not. I wonder if the Minister could give me a little bit of clarification on 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
Page 431
The Chair John Ningark
Thank you. Mr. Minister.
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
Page 431
John Todd Keewatin Central
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I think it is important that I respond in a professional way to your concerns, but I think it is also important to quantify it, and I am unable to quantify it today. I mean, what are we talking about here? Two employees? Three employees? In relationship to many being laid off who got the severance package. I agree with you, I need to find out, to quantify and I will do that as quickly as I can and it may be that the problem is not as grave as the trend of this discussion is going. If Mr. Steen is alluding to the supplementary appropriation million dollars, when he talks about the million dollars and the recruitment, I am prepared to deal with that issue when that comes forward in the House, and assure him that I will be able to answer his questions in a concise way at that time.
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
Page 431
The Chair John Ningark
Thank you. Mr. Steen.
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
Mr. Chairman, I used the million dollars as an example. In fact, I believe the allotment of the Members that have laid off staff and then were hiring them back on under contract. I am just trying to find out from the Minister whether in fact the severance packages were actually saving us money, or should we have just kept these people on in the first place? 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
Page 431
The Chair John Ningark
Thank you. Mr. Minister.
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
Page 431
John Todd Keewatin Central
Good question, Mr. Chairman, as always. I want to assure my honourable colleague that there are long term savings to this government in terms of its fiscal obligations over the long haul. It is certainly on the front end, no question. There is an expenditure that we have to incur, but the fact of the matter is that the civil service will be smaller, there will be less people, and the overall fiscal impact is a positive one, depending on what the severance was. 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
Page 431
The Chair John Ningark
Thank you. Human Resource Management. Operations and maintenance. Total operations and maintenance is $5,023,000. Mr. Krutko.
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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David Krutko Mackenzie Delta
Thank you for agreeing to allow me to speak. I have a question about the Human Resource Management in regards to contracts with employees. Is there also consideration in regards to division 1999, especially with short term contracts? Also, are these contracts on a casual basis for six months, or a year? What is the time period for these contracts are we talking about?
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
Page 431
The Chair John Ningark
Thank you. Mr. Minister.