Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. The honourable Minister of Human Resources, Mr. Dent.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we have implemented a number of the changes recommended in the Hackett report. The structural changes to the Department of Human Resources are in progress. They are substantially underway. I can't say they are 100 percent complete, because a lot of the changes required that we work to move people around as the work gets done. For instance, we have a significant backlog in pay and benefits that we have been trying to deal with. We need to keep people in that area until that backlog is dealt with, but we are moving towards the final transformation. I would expect that we should be able to, over the course of the next year, conclude the transformation of the department.

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Supplementary, Mr. Ramsay.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, if you look on the Government of the Northwest Territories website, go to the phone directory and have a look at Human Resources, you see no fewer than six managers managing six people. They each manage one person in the benefits section. I would like the Minister to explain to me how it's a proper business process to allow the department to have six managers managing six people. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. Mr. Dent.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As I said, the department is in the midst of a transformation process and that won't be the final status of the department. So as the work gets caught up and brought up to date, as we finish the movement into the latest version of PeopleSoft and as self-service rolls out, the structure will be in line with what has been recommended in the Hackett report.

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Supplementary, Mr. Ramsay.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Keeping with the business processes, I would like the Minister to explain to me how it is that an employee who works at HR who has been an employee of the government for 20 years, 20-plus years, and has had glowing performance reviews all through that 20-year history in the Northwest Territories, all of a sudden finds himself on the outs at HR and is being rushed out the door. I would like to explain how we have employees who work for us for 20 years and all of a sudden they are discarded. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. Mr. Dent.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would be careful to say that our employees are discarded. We value the employees who work for this government and know that the public service have nothing but the best of intentions and always want to do the best job. Mr. Speaker, as this whole transformation process has taken place, it has meant that some people are having difficulty finding a spot in which to fit. When you bring a bunch of people in who have been out in the departments doing different jobs and try to build one centralized structure, it's sometimes difficult to find the exact fit. So we are working with employees to ensure that training is offered and we are endeavouring to ensure that we can find positions to suit all of the employees that we have. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Supplementary, Mr. Ramsay.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am wondering if I can get a commitment from the Minister today to come back to committee to discuss in further detail the recommendations that are outlined in the Hackett report and how it is we are moving forward with the recommendations that are in that report, so that we can deliver a more streamlined, efficient Human Resource service for our employees and the public. Mahsi.

Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. Mr. Dent.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would be pleased to do that. Anytime we are requested by the committee, we will make ourselves available. Mahsi cho.

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Oral questions. The honourable Member for Sahtu, Mr. Yakeleya.

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. The honourable Premier, Mr. Handley.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Let me say again, in terms of power, the Power Corporation has an agreement with Imperial to supply energy for power until 2010. When it comes to homes, then Imperial will no longer provide gas to the domestic users after April 2008. The town has advised us that they have hired a consultant who will be taking a look at the options. Our departments are looking at this situation. As soon as we have information together, we have committed to meeting with the town and, at that point, we will determine which operation is the best to put forward. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Handley. Supplementary, Mr. Yakeleya.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I think the town of Norman Wells and the residents of Norman Wells appreciate the Premier's comments in terms of how this government is going to help with the natural gas supply. Mr. Speaker, the town of Norman Wells made comments to myself and Members of this House that when we had a meeting with them in terms of NCPC, the power rates would go up by using the NCPC supply. They want to maintain a certain level of affordable rates and again I am asking the Premier in terms of helping the people in Norman Wells make a conversion of their hot water tanks, electricity, fuel, is it something similar? Is Cabinet discussing something similar where the town of Inuvik had this situation and the Government of the Northwest Territories helped out the residents of Inuvik? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. Mr. Handley.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As well as the concerns by the residents in Norman Wells, we also have some issues that we have to deal with ourselves as a government and that has to do with the school, the health centre, the airport. We have a lot of government facilities there, so we are working on that side.

With regard to the Power Corporation, we should be fine until 2010. We have a diesel generator there, but after 2010 if we had to produce our own power, then it may be necessary to add another generator in there. Of course, with community-based rates, that would have to be borne by the users, Mr. Speaker. That's looking forward to post-2010. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Handley. Supplementary, Mr. Yakeleya.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the use of diesel means that then once a decision has been made by the town of Norman Wells, the power rates would go up and we would convert over 200 homes into diesel that are on natural gas now. Should the pipeline go through and Imperial says we are opening shop again, we have natural gas and you have to convert back if they want to go back to natural gas. That's what the town is asking. Is there some assistance if they choose not to go into the diesel because of the power rates? Do they have some assurance that the Government of the Northwest Territories will help them like they did with the town of Inuvik in converting their household furnaces and heaters into propane if they wanted to go with propane? Would the government help the town of Norman Wells? Thank you.