Mahsi, Mr. Chair. The committee met with the Premier on September 28, 2006, to review the draft business plan for the Department of Executive.

The committee noted that the Department of Executive is proposing to spend $13.161 million in operations expense for the fiscal year 2007-2008. This represents a small decrease of $36,000 from last year's main estimates.

Committee members offer the following comments on issues arising out of the review of the 2007/2008 Draft Main Estimates and budget-planning cycle:

Joint Boards And Agencies Review Initiative

Early in the life of the 15th Assembly, Cabinet and the Standing Committee on Accountability and Oversight had agreed to form a working group to review the NWT boards and agencies. As a result of this successful collaboration, a boards and agencies policy was adopted in June 2005. The full implementation of this policy will significantly change the mandates/operations of existing boards, as it will establish a governance framework for board operations, provide criteria for board classification and a process for creating new boards.

In 2005 the Joint Working Group on Boards and Agencies suggested that a boards and agencies unit be established to fulfill the mandate of the initiative by implementing the boards and agencies policy and the governance framework. Cost estimates to establish this function are $300,000 for the 2007-2008 fiscal year. Mr. Chair, I will have a motion from the committee at the appropriate time. Mahsi.