Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, I expect that the secretary to Cabinet, as a senior bureaucrat, would negotiate it, would probably initial it, but not likely sign it before it was presented to the Premier.
Debates of March 8th, 2002
This is page numbers 479 - 506 of the Hansard for the 14th Assembly, 5th 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 chairman.
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 501
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 501
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 501
Charles Dent Frame Lake
The Minister has no reason to believe that was not the process that was followed, and that the secretary to Cabinet did in fact initial these contracts before they were presented to the Premier for signature?
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 501
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 501
Joe Handley Weledeh
Mr. Chairman, I do not know if she actually initialled them or what the form would be when she would hand them to the Premier. Certainly I expect that she would negotiate these and at some point present them to the Premier for signature.
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 501
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 501
Charles Dent Frame Lake
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I am not sure the committee is going to be happy to go along with presumptions. I suspect we will be considering this issue for a little while longer than today. Can the Minister undertake to get back to the committee to investigate what process was followed and let us know?
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 501
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 501
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 501
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 501
Charles Dent Frame Lake
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. In response to an earlier question about the authority to negotiate an employment contract, the Minister said that the employment contract fell under the general provisions of the Public Service Act. I am sure he knows there is a difference of opinion and the members of the Standing Committee on Accountability and Oversight felt very strongly that the chief of staff position was not covered by the Public Service Act. They made a very strong recommendation to the government to deal with that issue.
Does the Minister still insist that the authority was there, in spite of the committee's advice that we did not agree that it was? That we had some advice that the government needed to take action to amend the Public Service Act in order to allow for such a position to be part of the public service?
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 501
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 501
Joe Handley Weledeh
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, yes, I would still take that position. She was in the public service. She had an at pleasure contract. She was not a restricted employee. I would still hold the same position.
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 501
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 501
Charles Dent Frame Lake
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Were the amounts that were paid out in compensation and benefits on termination consistent with the terms set out in the employment contract for resignation?
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 501
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 501
Joe Handley Weledeh
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, the standard termination clause in at pleasure contracts reflects the norm and provides, in the case of no-cause termination, a severance payment of one month per year of service with a minimum of 12 months and a maximum of 24 months. That is pretty standard with those contracts. Thank you.
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 501
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 501
Charles Dent Frame Lake
The Minister told me what the standard was. He did not tell me if these terminations were paid out based on what is in the contract for resignation.
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 501
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 501
Joe Handley Weledeh
Mr. Chairman, maybe I will let Mr. Voytilla explain that one rather than me attempt to explain the difference. Thank you.
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 501
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 501
Voytilla
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Handley has already gone through and provided what the standard boilerplate revision is in at pleasure contracts. In addition to that standard, depending on the circumstances, there can be an additional amount paid if the government deems that there is a potential legal liability, and we negotiate an additional amount to avoid any potential suit or action brought against the government. That is a discretionary issue that is dealt with on a case-by-case basis. Thank you.
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 502
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 502
Charles Dent Frame Lake
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Well, the Minister and Mr. Voytilla have told us things that we know, but the question I wanted answered was did the payments in this case follow the formula set out in the contract for a resignation? That can be answered, Mr. Chairman, with a simple yes or no.