Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I have a few questions for the Premier on his opening comments for the department. The first thing that caught my attention is the discussion of the Staff Retention Policy. The Premier indicates that the intent here is to further foster support for the strategy of strengthening the public service, and I think that this is something that we all agree is critical and necessary. I think that is why there was discussion around this table the other day of the creation of a Public Service Commission, which is not something new as Mr. Miltenberger indicates. It is something that has been batted around for the last ten or 12 years.
The Premier indicates that a component of strengthening the public service is this money, this development fund for staff training, internal Government of the Northwest Territories staff training. An investment of $250,000 has been earmarked for this fund, and corporate human resource services will administer the fund, look after it, and handle staff training and development.
One of the concerns I have, and I guess we all have, is that we have seen these kinds of things and money earmarked for these purposes in the past. Past governments have let funds lapse and not access them.
Some of the comments from people in the department over the last few years had been that yes, there is money there, but the conditions and the administration, in order to access the funds and use the programs, are so onerous and so difficult that we just have not bothered. That is one of the reasons that some of this money has lapsed.
I am wondering if the Premier can tell us why this will be handled differently now, or what improvements, what things are being put into place to make sure that we do take public service training seriously and do make sure that this money is used? Thank you.