Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I do have opening remarks. The Department of Executive provides overall management and direction to government so that the government and its partners can achieve acceptable results. Core business activities include support to the Premier, Executive Council and to the Ministers' offices, as well as coordinating the Government of the Northwest Territories' relations with other governments and the public.
For the year 2001-2002, the Department of Executive is seeking approval of a forced growth increase of $342,000 to meet the requirements of the collective bargaining agreement that was ratified by the UNW in December and a critical investment of $330,000 to fund aboriginal government participation in the Intergovernmental Forum. These investments will allow the department to continue its efforts to promote strong and effective public governments that will operate cooperatively to ensure a strong future for all residents of the Northwest Territories. Many initiatives of the department are already producing results such as those which promote a stronger public service and the work of the Intergovernmental Forum.
The first investment of $342,000 results from this government's efforts to recognize the importance of the people who work for this government. The provisions of the agreement reached with the UNW have been extended to all excluded and management group employees as well. The total investment of 6.4 percent in salary dollars over two years is significant when compared to current inflationary trends.
A second investment of $330,000 is the funding we are providing to aboriginal governments in order that they may participate in the Intergovernmental Forum or IGF. This increased funding requirement was identified in the business plan that the standing committee reviewed last fall.
Mr. Chairman, Better Governance Through Partnerships is a key component of the 14th Assembly's vision, Towards a Better Tomorrow. The Intergovernmental Forum, which has been established by the parties as a forum for the discussion of important initiatives such as devolution and resource revenue sharing, will allow partnerships to be forged and is critical to achieving our agenda.
The success of the Intergovernmental Forum depends on aboriginal government participation. This is recognized not only through this investment proposed by the Department of Executive, but also through the federal government's agreement to also provide support to the IGF in the amount of $670,000 per year. In essence, for every dollar this government spends on supporting aboriginal government participation in the IGF, the federal government will spend two dollars. Given the parties' commitment to this partnership, the funding the department is seeking in support of this initiative will allow this government to make a fair and reasonable contribution to this important process.
On December 1, 2000, the Government of the Northwest Territories and a majority of aboriginal leaders from across the Northwest Territories agreed to begin a formal process to determine how the transfer of authority over lands and resources, currently held by the federal government, will devolve to appropriate territorial and aboriginal governments.
Mr. Chairman, other than these two important investments in our future, the Department of Executive is presenting a budget consistent with the business plan reviewed by this committee. We have held the line on other operational spending and have added no new positions to the department's staff complement.
I would now be happy to answer any questions that you may have on the department's 2001-2002 main estimates submission.