Thank you. The motion is on the floor. The motion is in order. To the motion.

Question has been called. All those in favour? All those opposed? The motion is carried.

---Carried

---Applause

Page 2-57, $4.089 million.

Page 2-58, directorate, grants and contributions.

Page 2-59 is blank. Information item, directorate, active positions.

Information item, 2-61, directorate, active positions.

Page 2-63, active summary, labour relations and compensation services. Mr. Braden.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Sometimes it's a bit of a quiz knowing just where to bring the question up, but I think the question I have belongs in this area. It relates to some of the information contained in the 2005-2008 Business Plan that FMB has filed along with the rest of the government, and it relates to the undertaking to do a comprehensive review of the Public Service Act, Mr. Chairman, the act and regulations, with a view to updating the act and regulations during this coming fiscal year.

This is a major piece of work and it is one that I support and look forward to. I wanted to ask the Minister if we could get just a bit of a snapshot of some of the highlights of what some of the anticipated areas of revision would be. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Braden. Mr. Roland.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, the Public Service Act that we are going to be going forward with is going to follow on the heels of the human resource service centres' work. Once we have that piece of work done, then we can begin to focus on that. This is one of the high priorities that we hold. As we move forward with that, we are going to need to sit down with committee members to see where we want to see our public service go and how we proceed down the road that is acceptable to Members of the Assembly. It's early and we need to sit down and have that discussion, but it will follow as we proceed and conclude the work on the human resource service centres. That's taking up a fair bit of energy now. Once we have that process down, our staff within that area can refocus and start looking at the Public Service Act and the need for change. At that point, I would be coming back to committee to seek input as to where we want to see this process go. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Roland. Mr. Braden.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. So the intention, as outlined in the business plan to do this in the coming fiscal year, there's a suggestion that we may need to back off from that timing.

Thank you, Mr. Braden. Mr. Roland.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I don't believe there's a need to back off on this one. As we go through the next process, we will be able to get started on it this year coming up and begin that process. So I don't believe it's a backing off. It's a matter of getting started and ensuring we are heading down the right path. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Roland. Mr. Braden.

Good. I am pleased to see we are keeping the initiative. These are big pieces of work. We had expressed an intention at the beginning of our term as the Legislative Assembly to focus on this. I look forward to seeing progress on this in the coming year, Mr. Chairman. I certainly would like to avoid a traffic jam, if you will, as our term comes to a close. We have about two-and-a-half years left to make some of these changes, so let's keep going.

Mr. Chairman, I have one other question. I believe it's in this area, again, from the business plan. There is an objective to complete a review and implement recommendations for the establishment of a benefit service centre. I just wanted to ask for a bit of an explanation. What is a benefit service centre? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Braden. Mr. Roland.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, that work is now part of the human resource service centres that we are working on and the pay and benefits side has been incorporated into that, so that work is proceeding. From the headquarters end, we are looking at amalgamating the pay...I guess it comes down to the

ability to write the cheques to one location so we have consistency in that area. That work is, again, part of the process we are in now through the human resource service centres. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Roland. Going to 2-63, activity summary, labour relations and compensation services. Mr. Yakeleya.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I just want some clarification from the Minister on this. The GNWT is also responsible for regulating their payments for GNWT boards. Thank you.