Thank you, Mr. Delorey. Item 3, Members' statements. The honourable Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes, Mr. Allen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In the context of your opening statement, and in recognition of this being Seniors Week across the Northwest Territories, I would like to take this opportunity to wish all of our seniors a happy and spirited week, including our guests in the gallery this afternoon.

Today, Mr. Speaker, there are four seniors who I want to say a special hello to, three of whom are currently in Stanton Regional Hospital. One is a dear friend of mine, Mr. Pete Fraser, former Member of this Legislative Assembly. I had a chance to meet with Pete last evening, where we shared a few laughs and discussed some of the happenings in our Legislature.

The second senior who I would like to speak about and who I have just met is Ms. Elizabeth Giroux, mother of Edith Mack, the secretary to our honourable Minister responsible for Justice, Mr. Antoine.

Thirdly is a lady who is currently in the Saint Therese Hospital in Fort Vermilion, Alberta, but takes an avid interest in our daily proceedings. On behalf of the residents of the Mackenzie Delta I want to wish Lena Malegana all of the best and a happy recovery.

Finally, Mr. Speaker, I want to say another special hello to my aunt, Dolly McLeod who is also resting and recovering in Stanton Regional Hospital. She informed me last night that she watches us with interest during our daily deliberations here in the House. As you know, Mrs. McLeod spends the majority of her life maintaining our traditional bush lifestyle approximately 40 miles southwest of Aklavik.

Finally, Mr. Speaker, I want to wish all of the seniors who are watching all the best in health and happiness. I cannot go without saying hello to a very special friend; my most sincere wishes to Cece McCauley, who is a great supporter of mine. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

-- Applause

Thank you, Mr. Allen. Item 3, Members' statements. Item 4, returns to oral questions. Item 5, recognition of visitors in the gallery. The honourable Member for Hay River South, Mrs. Groenewegen.

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen, and welcome to the Assembly. Item 5, recognition of visitors in the gallery. The honourable Member for Thebacha, Mr. Miltenberger.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I am proud to stand today and recognize some of the members of the Northwest Territories Seniors Society. My colleague, Mr. Bell, will as well recognize some of them with the agreement of the Chair. I would like to recognize, to start with, a constituent and friend, Mrs. Beatrice Campbell, who is the president; Laura Lennie from Tulita who is the first vice-president; Lloyd Brunes from Hay River, second vice-president; Bob Spence from Yellowknife, who is the treasurer; Dusty Miller from Yellowknife, who is the secretary; and Esther Braden, from Yellowknife, who is the past-president. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

-- Applause

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Item 5, recognition of visitors in the gallery. The honourable Member for Yellowknife South, Mr. Bell.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would also like to recognize Bill Lafferty from Fort Simpson, a director and former MLA; Ellen Smith from Inuvik, a director; Helen Gruben from Tuktoyuktuk, a director; Don Hunter from Yellowknife, also a director; and Barb Hood, the executive director.

-- Applause

Thank you, Mr. Bell. Item 5, recognition of visitors in the gallery. The honourable Member for Mackenzie Delta, Mr. Krutko.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to recognize someone from Fort McPherson, Mrs. Ellen Smith. Welcome.

-- Applause

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. Item 5, recognition of visitors in the gallery. The honourable Member for Nahendeh, Mr. Antoine.

Item 5, recognition of visitors in the gallery. The honourable Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes, Mr. Allen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I take the privilege and the honour of recognizing Mrs. Helen Gruben, who is the former chair of the Mackenzie Delta- Beaufort Regional Conference back in the mid-80s to the 90s. Thank you.

Welcome all visitors. Item 5, recognition of visitors in the gallery. The honourable Member for Sahtu, Mr. Kakfwi.

Thank you. I would like to welcome a Tulita elder, Mrs. Laura Lennie from Tulita. Thank you.

-- Applause

Item 5, recognition of visitors in the gallery. I would like to take this opportunity to welcome Andre Legare, consilliere principale de Matrie des politiques.

-- Applause

Mr. Legare helps me translate English to French sometimes. Thank you. Welcome everyone, particularly the seniors, to this Assembly. Welcome, Mr. Lafferty. It is like coming home, isn't it?

-- Laughter

Item 6, oral questions. The honourable Member for Frame Lake, Mr. Dent.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my question today relates to human resource functions in the Government of the Northwest Territories and is addressed to Premier Kakfwi.

Mr. Speaker, I am concerned about the number of people in various departments, boards and agencies now responsible for human resources, and how they can possibly bring a cohesive approach to the job. I understand that in 1991-92 there were 114 positions that had a human resource function. These positions included those working for departments, boards and agencies, and covered the whole Territory, pre-division.

We are now told that as of March this year, there were 138 people involved in the delivery of human resource functions. While this growth has taken place, our Territory has shrunk in physical size and so has the civil service. In fact, the civil service has shrunk by 43 percent.

Mr. Speaker, this growth has had no coordination so there is no government-wide accountability for human resource functions. With each department or agency now responsible for human resources, who in government has the overall responsibility for monitoring personnel and hiring practices?

Mr. Speaker, my first question, is the Premier aware of the inefficiency that has been created since the breakup of the Department of Personnel with more people now involved in providing human resource functions than we had for a bigger government nine years ago?

Thank you, Mr. Dent. The honourable Premier, Mr. Kakfwi.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am aware that since I first became involved in government in 1987 there was general dissatisfaction with the apparent inability of government to meet targets set at the political level and the level of resources required in order to try to meet the targets.

In response to the Member's question, there seems to be a need to get a collective agreement on how to meet the targets and the goals set at the political level so there is a concerted effort made to proceed. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Kakfwi. Supplementary, Mr. Dent.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am not sure if the Minister agreed, or even if he was aware of the inefficiency, but I will move on to another question. With the deputy ministers now responsible for monitoring and enforcing human resource policy in their departments, who is responsible for ensuring that practices are fair and consistent government-wide?

Thank you, Mr. Dent. The honourable Premier, Mr. Kakfwi.