The Standing Committee on Accountability and Oversight recommends that the final report and recommendations of the Government's Program and Functional Review Senior Management Task Team be presented to committee before the next business plan review process scheduled for the fall of 2000.
Human Resource Management
According to the statistics provided by the government, 32.6 percent of the Government of the Northwest Territories workforce are indigenous aboriginal persons. Only 12.3 percent of management positions are occupied by indigenous aboriginal persons and only 31.9 percent of the management positions are occupied by women. The committee does not have confidence in these numbers as during the business plan review, we noted inconsistencies in human resource management between the departments, such as in their definitions of management positions. When queried, the government had difficulty advising us how many people are currently involved in human resource management throughout the government.
Our affirmative action statistics are abysmal and few departments have made concerted efforts to improve upon them.
The committee is of the opinion that the government must reassess and improve upon its human resource management.
Staff Retention Policy
The committee was briefed on the new Staff Retention Policy. Members were disappointed that there was no research done on the effect this policy might have on the existing Affirmative Action Policy.
The government has shown their commitment to the public service by announcing a Staff Retention Policy with $250,000 in funding. The policy focuses expressly on retention and development of GNWT employees when government goes through organizational change.
However, the committee also observed that last year, the Department of Education, Culture and Employment lapsed over $400,000 in public service career training funds and over the past three years there has been over $935,000 lapsed in the program. Overall, the committee does not feel that the government has demonstrated a great deal of commitment when it comes to training for its public service.
The committee has noticed that some departments have a high number of vacancies. The committee is aware that if a position is not filled, monies approved by the Legislature for salaries become available for use in other areas of the department. Members feel that monies approved by the Legislative Assembly for salary purposes should be used for such. Mr. Speaker, that concludes the introductory portion of the report. Formal committee motions will be moved at the appropriate time.
Therefore, I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Inuvik Boot Lake, that the report be received and moved into committee of the whole.