Yes, I would suggest that after 10 years we should bring closure to that area. Moving on, in compensation services, I wonder if the Minister can tell me what or even the approximate amount, I see Mr. Voytilla is in the chair also, of our pay outs to-date for those layoff packages that we have put into place, where we laid off employees? Because some of these, of course, worked for the government for a long time and we are paying them over 52 weeks or 48 weeks in some instances. Is there guesstimate or approximation of how much we are paying out right now in compensation for layoffs?
Debates of Feb. 6th, 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 452
Edward Picco Iqaluit
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. We have run out of time for you, Mr. Picco. We will allow other Members to speak and then you will have another opportunity, once Members who have not spoken yet, have spoken. 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
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John Todd Keewatin Central
$6,134,105 and no cents.
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. Steen. We have Mr. Ootes. Human resource management. Mr. Ootes.
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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Jake Ootes Yellowknife Centre
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I would like to have the Minister just explain a few things and give us some information with regards to the reductions, which we already have in the numbers of staff, for example, in the headquarters area we have 242 PY reductions. I am wondering if the Minister has available the figures of how many positions would be empty of those numbers or not filled?
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
No, I do not have the information.
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. Ootes.
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 452
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. Todd, could you repeat your reply please, for the Member.
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
No, I do not have that information.
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 452
The Chair John Ningark
Thank you. Mr. Ootes.
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 452
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. Ootes. 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 not trying to avoid the question. It is difficult to quantify it because we are still working on it. Once we get the budget approved, then begin the implementation, and we are going to try to, as I said and have said until I am blue in the face, try to avoid as many layoffs as possible through the strategies that I have talked about, and I do not think I have to repeat them. So, it would be, on the one hand I would want to answer the question, as my honourable colleague does, but on the other hand, it would be difficult to be firm on what they are going to be, because as we work through it, like for young layoffs, and we find new job opportunities for those people on layoffs, we move them over.
So, I guess the best way I could answer that would be to say, as I have consistently said, it is the intention of the downsizing strategy, and the layoffs associated with it, for us to work with the individual employees to provide them with a number of options. One, new job opportunities that may be there. Two, retraining. Three, the severance package that we have talked about, et cetera. It would be difficult for me to quantifiably say that this is what I think the actual layoffs will be. But I will take a look at it and see if there is some way I could give my honourable colleague some indication of what we think the percentage might be based on some of the stuff we have done this last year. 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 activity. Mr. Ootes.
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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Jake Ootes Yellowknife Centre
Mr. Chairman, the reason for my question is, I am trying to get an idea of the impact upon the community and it is easy to speak about 242 PYs, but at the end of the day it is nice to know if it is only 140 and so, hence the reason for wanting to know, because also it affects employees, it effects business people. Perhaps, just another question, Mr. Chairman, would be, are there any of these positions, I know that we have had some transfers to boards and agencies and so forth, are any of these positions proposed to be transferred to any boards or agencies or privatization?
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 understand where my colleague is coming from and I understand his concern. He has, as others have, a legitimate concern that they have to address. I am not trying to avoid it, I want to answer your first question. Again I am not trying to avoid saying it is not this amount or that amount. What I am making a commitment to is to try to manage our way so that the layoffs are minimal. That is what we are trying to say and I will endeavour to try to figure our what might be a percentage of what we think might happen. On the transfer of positions through boards, agencies, et cetera, it is roughly 92 positions.
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
Qujannamiik. Mr. Ootes.
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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Jake Ootes Yellowknife Centre
Would that be 92 positions for all 480, some positions, or is it across the board?
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
Mahsi. 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
Maybe I should clarify for everybody's sake the total positions that we are anticipating that could be gone are 530. Out of that, 92 of them will go to boards so the net position reductions is 438. All reductions are across the board. The 92 that will be transferred to boards is also across the board. Again, I stress to you and I think it is important to stress, because it is a serious issue, this we are going to try to manage our way as best we can to reduce, as much as we can, the layoffs that are anticipated through a series of initiatives as I said earlier. Whether it is looking for new jobs, re-educating and retraining, or in some cases, severance packages. 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, Mr. Todd. Mr. Ootes.
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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Jake Ootes Yellowknife Centre
The 438 would be PYs. When we dealt with the amalgamation of Renewable Resources, Wildlife, and
Economic Development, they have completed all of their downsizing, I understand. I am just wondering if some of the 438, if some of that already has taken place, because again, it would make a difference in the impact upon our community.