Thank you. Members' statements. Mr. Dent.

Members' statements. Mrs. Groenewegen.

in the West

Members' statements. Mr. Todd.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise today as MLA for Keewatin Central to speak about the workplace education in Rankin Inlet and across the territories.

The future of the two new territories depends on our ability to work with businesses to create an effective workforce. Workplace education has an important role to play in developing such a workforce.

Basic skills and education on-the-job offers employees the opportunity to upgrade their skills enabling them to move on to better jobs. This leaves openings at the entry level for younger people who want to start up.

Workplace education provides employees with the opportunity to take part in learner-centres, participate in programs with flexible schedules and work-related content. Due to these benefits, the number of organizations offering workplace education has been rapidly growing in Canada.

We, in the NWT, have taken up the challenge too. With the encouragement and support of my colleague, the Honourable Charles Dent, the Department of Education, Culture and Employment, has provided innovative and successful programs that have been designed to meet the needs of our distinct northern peoples and workplace.

My home community of Rankin Inlet has played a leadership role in the successful development of such programs. In November, Linda Pemik, a community adult educator with the Nunavut Arctic College, along with instructors Mariah Aliyak and Janet Onalik travelled to Toronto to make a presentation at a national forum on workplace education. Their presentation was very well attended and much applauded. Many people attending looked to our northern educators as a resource for setting up their own community-based programs.

The program in Rankin Inlet has been offered by the Community Learning Centre for three years and offers basic skills in both Inuktitut and English to employees of local businesses and organizations. Last year, services were provided to 52 learners from 17 different workplaces, making workplace education a significant option for many workers who otherwise, would not be able to access training.

Successful basic skills training initiatives in the workplace are based on successful partnerships in all sectors, business, labour, government and education service providers. I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate the educators in Rankin Inlet, my honourable colleague, Charles Dent and his department for their efforts to date, in making these partnership in my community work and to encourage them to do more in the future.

Thank you.

--Applause

Members' statements. Item 4, returns to oral questions. Mr. Morin.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have a return to an oral question asked by Mr. Picco on February 5th. Mr. Ootes will be interested as well. Update on tabling salaries and benefits:

On May 13, 1996, the Assembly approved a motion directing the Executive Council to consider introducing legislation that would require public disclosure of salaries and benefits paid to public service employees receiving pay of more than $100,000 per year.

I made a commitment on February 5, 1998, to provide information to the House. Mr. Speaker, on February 5th, I also stated that the government is waiting for a legal opinion from the Department of Justice. The opinion was requested to determine if the release of such detailed salary and benefit information would be considered appropriate under the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act. I wish to clarify that the department of Justice was asked for a legal opinion on October 16, 1997, and one was provided the following day, October 17, 1997.

The opinion indicated that the release of specific salary information would be an unreasonable invasion of privacy under the act. Given that opinion, staff reviewed different options that could be used to provide Members with some information without breaking the law.

As a result, Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to report that later today, the chairman of the Financial Management Board will be tabling a document that provides Members with salary range information available for public release under the act. Thank you.

Thank you. Returns to oral questions. Mr. Todd.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have several returns to oral questions and I hope my colleagues will bear with me.

Return to oral question asked by Mr. Henry on February 24, 1998, regarding amending the Workers' Compensation Act.

Mr. Henry asked whether I am prepared to bring before this house, amendments to the NWT Workers' Compensation Act.

My colleague's concerns, particularly with the subsection concerning subrogation, are not new.

In his 1993 review of workers' compensation in the NWT, chief commissioner Garnet Garven recommended that this particular subsection 14(4), should be removed, and the balance of the section reworded to reflect the protection of all employers and their workers covered by the act.

As Minister responsible for the Workers' Compensation Board, I echoed this recommendation in the Legislative Action Paper submitted to this House that same year, 1993. It concluded that the approach used by most other boards in Canada where no action is allowed against any employer or worker covered under the system, was the most appropriate.

The staff of the NWT Workers' Compensation Board began a comprehensive internal review in 1994. It concluded in May, 1995, with a draft bill, that among other changes, abolished subsection 12(4).

We made a commitment to table this bill in the fall of 1996. Unfortunately, we were overtaken by the process of division. Soon after, this House removed the WCB's proposal from its Legislative Agenda.

The Workers' Compensation Board has, in fact, worked very hard to accomplish the change suggested by my honourable colleague. As we are all aware, however, the overriding issues of division and other Legislative priorities have resulted in a full Legislative Agenda ever since.

If I may, Mr. Speaker.

Asked by Mr. Roland on January 28, 1998, with respect to the loss of staff housing revenue.

The honourable MLA from Inuvik asked a question regarding the loss of revenue to the Inuvik regional health board, due to their inability to collect rent from its staff.

I am pleased to be able to report that, in fact, there has been no net loss to the government. The decision to remove the government from the role of landlord to its employees has resulted in a positive financial impact. Revenue that traditionally had been collected from employees living in staff housing was always far less than the cost of providing this housing. In the case of Inuvik, as elsewhere, one time revenue was realized from the sale of owned units and savings were realized as a result of the government no longer being responsible for maintaining and paying utility costs to these units. Additional savings were realized when unnecessary leases were not renewed on expiry.

The government fully recognizes that the Inuvik regional health board no longer has access to the rents that it had previously retained from its employees who lived in staff housing in the town of Inuvik. For this reason, Supplementary Estimates No. 3 for 1997-98, includes funding to replace this revenue and the FMB has approved an ongoing adjustment to the board's funding.

Mr. Speaker, question asked by Mr. Ootes on February 16, 1998, termination benefits for laidoff employees and appeal of termination benefits.

The Government of the Northwest Territories has layoff guidelines in place to provide direction to all departments, boards and agencies. These guidelines are found in Section 1602 of the Human Resource Manual.

Employees who have been issued lay-off notification have different mechanisms available to grieve their layoff based upon their bargaining unit. The mechanism available to employees represented by the Union of Northern Workers is in accordance with Article 37, Adjustments of Disputes, in their Collective Agreement. Employees covered by the Northwest Territories Teachers' Association, may grieve in accordance with Article 21 of their Collective Agreement. Excluded employees who have a complaint about their layoff may take advantage of the grievance process as outlined in the Excluded Employee's Handbook.

One last return to oral question, Mr. Speaker, and honourable Members, asked by Mr. Picco. Additional funding to the NWT Development Corporation.

Mr. Picco on February 17, 1998, asked me to clarify whether the additional $1.2 million funding that was recently approved to the Northwest Territories Development Corporation was approved through a supplementary appropriation.

The additional contribution to the Development Corporation was approved by the Financial Management Board, but was not voted as a supplementary appropriation.

Under the Financial Administration Act, the FMB is authorized to transfer funds among activities, although the Legislative Assembly must approve transfers between departments, and between votes.

The FMB has delegated to Ministers the authority to make budget adjustments between activities within their departments. However, in accordance with the Expenditure Management Plan approved by the FMB earlier in the term of this government, Ministers are required to provide the board with monthly reports on surpluses and shortfalls. If circumstances warrant, the FMB can then take corrective action. This may include recommending a transfer of funds between departments for inclusion in a supplementary appropriation.

After the unusually low level of forest fire activity during the 1997 season, the Minister for Resources, Wildlife and Economic Development identified an anticipated surplus in the fire suppression budget and proposed some internal reallocations. The Minister for RWED also sought the board's approval of a proposed one-time enhancement to the Development Corporation's contribution funding, to enable the corporation to make additional investments in projects with job creation potential in level 2 and 3 communities.

The increase to the Development Corporation contribution did not require approval through the supplementary appropriation as it did not involve a transfer of funds between votes or between departments. Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker and colleagues.

Thank you. Returns to oral question. Ms. Thompson.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to return an oral question asked by Mr. Barnabas on February 24, 1998. The Arctic Bay sewage lagoon project funding has not been used to purchase a bulldozer for the hamlet. There have always been two budgeted projects. They are the sewage lagoon and a new replacement bulldozer for Arctic Bay.

During capital planning consultations a year ago, the hamlet council identified the need for a new replacement bulldozer, as it was a critical piece of equipment needed for the sewage lagoon project to proceed. At that time, there was no local contractor with bulldozer equipment in Arctic Bay. In addition, the hamlet's 1980, 814 cat wheel dozer had been in service for 18 years and was in need of replacement. The replacement of the bulldozer is part of MACA's Mobile Equipment Program.

The capital plan included $210,000 for 1998-99 to purchase a new replacement bulldozer and bring it into Arctic Bay during sealift season this coming summer. The new bulldozer has been ordered but because it will not arrive in the community until summer 1998, only a short construction time will remain during late summer and fall. As a result, the budget for construction of the lagoon was delayed to begin 1999-2000.

The mayor of Arctic Bay was advised of this change in the project's budget. Currently, the capital plan for the construction of the sewage lagoon project remains at $750,000 over the three-year period of 1999-2000 to 2001-2002.

In addition, $60,000 is in the capital plan for 1998-99 in order to complete geotechnical investigation and detailed design for the lagoon. Overall, the cost of the project over the four-year period will be $810,000.

The superintendent for the Baffin region will be discussing this project with the hamlet council in more detail and to confirm the timing. Thank you.

Thank you. Returns to oral questions. Item 5, recognition of visitors in the gallery. Mr. Ootes.

Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Item 6, oral questions. Mr. Miltenberger.

Thank you. The Minister responsible for the Financial Management Board. Mr. Todd.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I do have the same concerns that my colleague has, that we ensure that this whole new job evaluation system that is now completed is communicated well to our employees. As I said earlier today, I think somewhere in the region, about 68 percent

of our employees actually get a pay increase based upon their re-evaluated job. There are some jobs obviously that there will be some decrease in that, in terms of the pay levels, but there will be no decrease to the existing employees. I would ask Mr. Voytilla to take extra ordinary steps to ensure that there is a process in place that is transparently clear that employees who are not satisfied or are concerned or require additional information, that we get that in place. I think we have done that. We have communicated in a letter on an individual bases to each employee. We have set up management committees to discuss the issues with employees. We are in discussions with the union right now about having an extended period of time for appeals. I am fairly confident that we are given this issue its due attention.

I think it is understandable when you are dealing with about 5,000 or 6,000 employees that you are going to have some employees who are not satisfied, obviously. We need to provide, as I said, a clear process for appeals. We are prepared to do that. We will have to re-examine, I am sure, some areas where people are concerned. We are prepared to do that as well. I think the process we have in place and the communication strategy we have in place, I hope, will provide some comfort to our employees, that there is a clear and concise mechanism for them to seek information, to appeal or to raise any concerns they have about the pay job evaluation system that we have put in place. Thank you.

Thank you. Oral questions. Supplementary, Mr. Miltenberger.