Thank you, Madam Chairperson. I think one final question. Could the Minister indicate what percentage of the employees involved in the equity pay have not been dealt with through the equal pay offers that were made?
Debates of May 13th, 1999
This is page numbers 579 - 604 of the Hansard for the 13th Assembly, 7th Session. The original version can be accessed on the Legislative Assembly's website or by contacting the Legislative Assembly Library. The word of the day was chairperson.
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 598
Roy Erasmus Yellowknife North
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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Charles Dent Yellowknife Frame Lake
Thank you, Madam Chairperson. The people that we were able to locate, in other words if we had their addresses and the offer was sent, 80 percent have accepted the offer to settle. There were 4,340 offer letters sent out. We have had 3,467 that we have received back, and 3,490 that we have received confirmation by fax but not have received the original document yet. We think that 3,490 people will be the final number that have accepted. There are 988 former employees whose addresses we cannot find so they have not been sent offers. I think that responds to the Member's question.
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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Seamus Henry Yellowknife South
Thank you, Madam Chairperson, and I thank the Minister. Those are interesting numbers. If I understand it correctly, there is an anticipation when the original documentation comes back, that 80 percent of the former and present employees entitled to pay equity would have their cases settled and be paid up. For 20 percent of the employees, my question is, is this $3 million for a one-year term? Also, if the Minister could respond to comments that were made previously that this could last for two to three years. The Minister did not make that, but I am sure I have heard his predecessor, I am sure I have heard the comments, so if the Minister could respond, how long will this take and is this $3 million for this year plus, potentially, if it goes another year, will it be another $3 million? 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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Charles Dent Yellowknife Frame Lake
Thank you, Madam Chairperson. First of all, it is $2.2 million specifically for the tribunal. There is $750,000 for appeals on the new job classification system. We would expect that that $750,000 will be adequate to get through all the appeals that we expect. We do not expect that amount will be needed every year. But the $2.2 million, we do expect will be needed every year. The commission itself estimated it would take three years to conclude this. Our estimate is, given how long it has taken other complaints, at least five years and perhaps longer.
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 599
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
May 12th, 1999
Page 599
Seamus Henry Yellowknife South
Thank you, Madam Chairperson. Those numbers are staggering in light of some of the motions that have been made in this House to put extra funding to problems that we have in education and health care. At the worst situation, if this did go for five years, we are potentially looking at least $10 million to handle that if it was $2 million a year. Madam Chairperson, more as a comment, I would encourage the Minister to sit down with the union and look at these costs and maybe there is room, when presented with this information, some goodwill on both parts, to maybe bring this to a culmination for the betterment of the residents of the Northwest Territories. 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
Page 599
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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Charles Dent Yellowknife Frame Lake
Thank you, Madam Chairperson. I, just two days ago, signed a letter which included a suggestion to the president of the UNW that we do, in fact, get back to the table to discuss this issue. We continue to believe that a negotiated settlement among Northerners would be the best way to solve the problem and would dearly love to embark again on that process. The government continues to advance that position and request that action. 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
Page 599
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 599
Seamus Henry Yellowknife South
Thank you, Madam Chairperson. Just as a note of encouragement to the Minister, his predecessor and staff were able to achieve an 80 percent settlement. I would suggest that with that same staff and yourself, 20 percent should be quite easy to achieve. 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
Page 599
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, Madam Chairperson. In regards to the People Self Project, it says there are additional costs associated. Is this a cost overrun because you had to extend the project for the $820,000?
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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Charles Dent Yellowknife Frame Lake
Thank you, Madam Chairperson. Yes, this is a cost overrun. The project has taken longer to conclude than what had been expected. The cost overruns are a result of that extra length of 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
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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
Page 599
David Krutko Mackenzie Delta
Thank you, Madam Chairperson. Can the Minister state how long this project has been ongoing and what is the cost to date for this project?
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 599
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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Charles Dent Yellowknife Frame Lake
Thank you, Madam Chairperson. This project was commenced last spring, and we are now expecting it to conclude at the end of June this year.
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 599
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 599
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 599
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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Charles Dent Yellowknife Frame Lake
Thank you, Madam Chairperson. No, I believe the total cost of the project is about $5.5 million.