Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, under this item of labour relations, the detailed information I have in front of me says that the impact of this will be that the staffing of a labour relations officer planned in the Fort Smith region would not go ahead, and there are different items of $79,000, $10,000, $1000 and $15,000 associated with that, which my quick calculation here amounts to $105,000. So I'd like to know, we hear a lot in this House about the fact that we need to expand our regional operations, that everything is being done in Yellowknife. Is this an existing position that was already there, or was this something that was new this year but it came under the axe to meet the economizing measures? Thank you.
Debates of June 12th, 2003
This is page numbers 965 - 1056 of the Hansard for the 14th Assembly, 6th 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
Bill 18: Supplementary Appropriation Act, No. 1, 2003-2004
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 1028
Bill 18: Supplementary Appropriation Act, No. 1, 2003-2004
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 1028
Bill 18: Supplementary Appropriation Act, No. 1, 2003-2004
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 1028
Joe Handley Weledeh
Mr. Chairman, this is a new position this year, and the decision has been made by FMBS not to proceed with it. Thank you.
Bill 18: Supplementary Appropriation Act, No. 1, 2003-2004
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 1028
Bill 18: Supplementary Appropriation Act, No. 1, 2003-2004
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
June 12th, 2003
Page 1029
Sandy Lee Range Lake
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Were there any other positions of this kind under this department, under this line, labour relations? Were there any positions planned in any other region of the Territories? Thank you.
Bill 18: Supplementary Appropriation Act, No. 1, 2003-2004
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 1029
Bill 18: Supplementary Appropriation Act, No. 1, 2003-2004
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 1029
Joe Handley Weledeh
Mr. Chairman, no, there are no other labour relations officer positions in any region.
Bill 18: Supplementary Appropriation Act, No. 1, 2003-2004
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 1029
Bill 18: Supplementary Appropriation Act, No. 1, 2003-2004
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 1029
Sandy Lee Range Lake
Then may I get the information as to what is the substantive information that the government went with in the first place to create this position? Was it an increased workload in labour relations in Fort Smith? Could I get information on that, please?
Bill 18: Supplementary Appropriation Act, No. 1, 2003-2004
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 1029
Bill 18: Supplementary Appropriation Act, No. 1, 2003-2004
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 1029
Joe Handley Weledeh
As the Member may recall during business planning budget discussions for 2003-04, this was a pilot position that we were going to try to see if it would result in better labour relations services in the regions. But with the economizing measures, the decision was made that we should not proceed with it. Thank you.
Bill 18: Supplementary Appropriation Act, No. 1, 2003-2004
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 1029
Bill 18: Supplementary Appropriation Act, No. 1, 2003-2004
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 1029
Sandy Lee Range Lake
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The next item under that section, labour relations for a reduction of $269,000, the detailed information that I've been provided says that there will be a $20,000 cut in the management of arbitration. Could I get information about what this is about? Thank you.
Bill 18: Supplementary Appropriation Act, No. 1, 2003-2004
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 1029
Bill 18: Supplementary Appropriation Act, No. 1, 2003-2004
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 1029
Joe Handley Weledeh
Mr. Chairman, through FMBS we do all of the arbitrations for all across the government, and this is just a case of economizing our work. Thank you.
Bill 18: Supplementary Appropriation Act, No. 1, 2003-2004
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 1029
Bill 18: Supplementary Appropriation Act, No. 1, 2003-2004
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 1029
Sandy Lee Range Lake
So I gather from that, that this is for personnel or labour relations issues within the government that makes its way up to the arbitration process, and we are reducing that budget by $20,000. So may I ask the Minister as to what is the extent of the backlog of arbitration that we have now? Thank you.
Bill 18: Supplementary Appropriation Act, No. 1, 2003-2004
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 1029
Bill 18: Supplementary Appropriation Act, No. 1, 2003-2004
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 1029
Joe Handley Weledeh
Mr. Chairman, there are always some arbitrations, so there will be some going on right now, but there is no backlog.
Bill 18: Supplementary Appropriation Act, No. 1, 2003-2004
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 1029
Bill 18: Supplementary Appropriation Act, No. 1, 2003-2004
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 1029
Sandy Lee Range Lake
I could appreciate it if the Minister doesn't have this information in the back of his mind, but maybe Mr. Voytilla would. What is the average length for arbitration and what is the cost of that usually? Do we have any idea about that?
Bill 18: Supplementary Appropriation Act, No. 1, 2003-2004
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 1029
Bill 18: Supplementary Appropriation Act, No. 1, 2003-2004
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 1029
Joe Handley Weledeh
Mr. Chairman, there's no typical arbitration. It can vary greatly, so there's no way of us saying that there is some average cost. Thank you.
Bill 18: Supplementary Appropriation Act, No. 1, 2003-2004
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 1029
Bill 18: Supplementary Appropriation Act, No. 1, 2003-2004
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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Sandy Lee Range Lake
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. On that note, could I get information as to what would be a typical shortest arbitration and what is the length of some of the long arbitrations that the government has?