I apologize for not getting to the unfunded positions. What I would like to say is that I don’t think we could attribute the deficit in the authority to unfunded positions. Unfunded positions come in different shapes and sizes. These authorities are block funded, and they do have flexibility within to create positions where they think they are required.
Stanton, for example, has 53 programs. I believe they are mostly funded, but the important thing I want to say is that…. Mr. Ramsay is worried, and I can see why, that given the level of deficit these authorities are going through, how could they possibly be able to balance their budget?
But that is a requirement we have. We have to live within 3 per cent growth. Something different that this government has undertaken this year is to be fiscally responsible. It has raised the base of authorities by — well, the department as a whole got $44 million extra funding. About half of that is going to the authorities. The department has been active in the last two to three months to let the authorities know right up front exactly how much they’re going to get, and they have had to balance their budget based on last year’s spending.
That also included taking some interim measures and taking measures, as much as possible, where it would not impact front-line service. They have to take steps to increase their revenue potential. Authorities like Beaufort-Delta and Stanton do provide services to third parties like WCB or out-of-town residents or Nunavut residents, where they are supposed to collect those monies. System wide we need to make sure those monies are collected.
We’re looking at capacity issues to see if both boards have enough capacity there to do the work that is required to make sure they balance their budgets. It is a very aggressive but very fiscally responsible step we are taking. Part of the reason we need to have this supplementary appropriation to start with a clean slate is that we’re taking more fiscally responsible actions going forward.
In terms of the unfunded positions in Stanton, the number I heard was about 27, but I can’t verify that. Zero-based review showed it has 53 programs. I, as a Minister, think it’s not a good measure to say we’re going to be fiscally responsible and just eliminate all unfunded positions, because we need to ask the next question about why those positions weren’t funded. Are there some unfunded positions that should be funded? Maybe some other positions that are funded should not be. That’s the kind of program review the public administrator’s engaged in.