This is page numbers 1249 to 1300 of the Hansard for the 16th Assembly, 2nd 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 summary.
Committee Motion 64-16(2) To Undertake A Functional Review Of The Liquor Commission And The Liquor Licensing Board (Committee Motion Carried)
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
The Chair Glen Abernethy
Okay. We’ll return to page 3-7, Department of Finance, Department Summary, Operations Expenditure Summary: $10.959 million. Are there any questions? Agreed?
Department of Finance, Department Summary,
Operations Expenditure Summary: $10.959 million, approved.
Committee Motion 64-16(2) To Undertake A Functional Review Of The Liquor Commission And The Liquor Licensing Board (Committee Motion Carried)
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
The Chair Glen Abernethy
Does the committee agree that this concludes our discussions on O&M for the Department of Finance?
Committee Motion 64-16(2) To Undertake A Functional Review Of The Liquor Commission And The Liquor Licensing Board (Committee Motion Carried)
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Some Honourable Members
Agreed.
Committee Motion 64-16(2) To Undertake A Functional Review Of The Liquor Commission And The Liquor Licensing Board (Committee Motion Carried)
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
The Chair Glen Abernethy
All right. Does the committee agree that the Department of Finance is concluded?
Committee Motion 64-16(2) To Undertake A Functional Review Of The Liquor Commission And The Liquor Licensing Board (Committee Motion Carried)
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Some Honourable Members
Agreed.
Committee Motion 64-16(2) To Undertake A Functional Review Of The Liquor Commission And The Liquor Licensing Board (Committee Motion Carried)
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
The Chair Glen Abernethy
I’d like to thank the Minister and his staff for coming in and meeting with us today and answering questions.
Mr. Sergeant-at-Arms, if you could please escort the witnesses out. Thank you.
We will be moving along to the Financial Management Board Secretariat, but before we do that, maybe we could take a really short break.
The Committee of the Whole took a short
recess.
Committee Motion 64-16(2) To Undertake A Functional Review Of The Liquor Commission And The Liquor Licensing Board (Committee Motion Carried)
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
The Chair David Krutko
I’d like to call Committee of the Whole back to order. We’re going to be doing Financial Management Board Secretariat. I’d like to ask the Minister if he has any opening comments that he’d like to make. Minister Roland.
Main Estimates 2008–2009 Financial Management Board Secretariat
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
June 12th, 2008
Floyd Roland Inuvik Boot Lake
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I do. I’m pleased to be here to present the Financial Management Board Secretariat’s Main Estimates for the fiscal year 2008–2009.
FMBS is a central agency of the Government of the Northwest Territories. Working with departments, the secretariat is jointly responsible for the management and control of financial and information resources of the government, ensuring that these resources are managed in an efficient, effective and economical manner. FMBS supports all the government’s strategic priorities and initiatives through its five divisions: government accounting, budget and evaluation, the office of the chief information officer, the audit bureau and the directorate.
FMBS has been tasked with leading actions that will advance the priorities of the Refocusing Government initiatives, including travel savings, cross-government reduction proposals and third-party funding and accountability policy.
The secretariat’s 2008–2009 Main Estimates propose O&M expenditure levels of $72.144 million. This is an increase of $2.308 million, which represents growth of 3 per cent over the 2007–2008 Main Estimates.
The main adjustments to the secretariat’s O&M budget include:
1) an increase of $1.578 million for the Territorial
Power Subsidy Program;
2) an increase of $1.3 million to the contribution
funding provided to the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation. FMBS has no direct authority over this funding other than providing the corporation with its operating cash flow. The Minister responsible for the NWT Housing Corp appeared before a committee to discuss their budget;
3) an increase of $230,000 related to the revision
of the collective agreement for the 2008–2009 fiscal year; and
4) a reduction of $733,000, primarily associated
with the elimination of ten full-time positions — nine in Yellowknife and one in Fort Smith.
Like many other public governments the GNWT has embarked on a longer-term initiative to modernize management in order to better respond to changing expectations, priorities and financial standards.
In support of the planned replacement of the government financial information system, the secretariat’s proposed Capital Acquisition Plan includes an allocation of $7.5 million for the 2008–2009 fiscal year. Adopting the modern management philosophy will ensure within the GNWT a stronger focus on ethical behaviour, the adoption of formal risk-management practices, improved accountability and stewardship of resources, and a focus on results achieved for the dollars spent.
A number of initiatives that commenced with the previous government are continuing over the next four years. These include an update to the Financial Administration Act; a review and update of all existing financial policy directives and the creation of new financial policy directives where required; the determination and implementation of strategies resulting from the assessment of modern management capacity within the GNWT; and the continuation of the implementation of a new financial information system.
That concludes my opening remarks, and I am prepared to answer questions Members may have.
Main Estimates 2008–2009 Financial Management Board Secretariat
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
The Chair Glen Abernethy
Thank you,
Mr. Minister. I’ll now ask the Chair of the Standing Committee on Government Operations to provide their opening comments. Mr. Menicoche.
Main Estimates 2008–2009 Financial Management Board Secretariat
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Kevin A. Menicoche Nahendeh
Thank you very much, Mr. Chair. The members of the Standing Committee on Government Operations met with the Minister responsible for the Financial Management Board Secretariat on April 1, 2008, to review the Draft Main Estimates for 2008 and 2009.
Committee members made note that the secretariat is proposing to spend $72,000,023 in operations expense in the fiscal year ’08–09 and $7.5 million on capital projects in the fiscal year 2008–2009. The committee notes that the housing operation expenditures include the contributions to the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation operational budget.
Committee members offer the following comments and issues arising out of the review of the 2008–2009 Draft Main Estimates:
Audit Bureau
Given the oversight function of the FMBS in terms of business conduct of all GNWT departments, the committee is very concerned about the ongoing vacancy rate of almost 50 per cent within the Audit Bureau. The committee urges the government to address these recruitment and retention issues in a timely fashion in order to ensure that the internal audit mandate and functions can be fulfilled. Necessary steps may include a review of how business within the Audit Bureau is conducted and if there are alternate means to fulfill the Audit Bureau’s mandate and functions.
Power Subsidy Program
Members expressed their concern about the rising costs of the Power Subsidy Program and urge the government to take measures to increase cost efficiency and improve the program delivery overall.
That concludes our comments on the FMBS, Mr. Chair. I’d just like to thank the Minister and his staff, as well as our committee staff, Patricia Russell and Regina Pfeifer.
Main Estimates 2008–2009 Financial Management Board Secretariat
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
The Chair Glen Abernethy
Thank you,
Mr.
Menicoche. I will now ask the Minister
responsible for the Financial Management Board if they would like to bring witnesses into the Chamber. Mr. Minister.
Main Estimates 2008–2009 Financial Management Board Secretariat
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Main Estimates 2008–2009 Financial Management Board Secretariat
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Main Estimates 2008–2009 Financial Management Board Secretariat
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Some Honourable Members
Agreed.
Main Estimates 2008–2009 Financial Management Board Secretariat
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
The Chair Glen Abernethy
Thank you,
committee. Mr. Sergeant-at-Arms, please escort the witnesses into the Chamber.
Minister Roland, can I please get you to introduce your witnesses.
Main Estimates 2008–2009 Financial Management Board Secretariat
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Floyd Roland Inuvik Boot Lake
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. To my right, at the table here, is the secretary to the FMB, Ms. Kathleen LeClair. To my left is Mr. Rob Taggart, who is the director of policy and planning with FMBS.
Main Estimates 2008–2009 Financial Management Board Secretariat
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
The Chair Glen Abernethy
Thank you, Minister Roland. I will now open the floor to general comments from the committee. Does the committee agree that there are no general comments?
Main Estimates 2008–2009 Financial Management Board Secretariat
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Some Honourable Members
Agreed.
Main Estimates 2008–2009 Financial Management Board Secretariat
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
The Chair Glen Abernethy
Right. We’ll go on to details for the Financial Management Board Secretariat, beginning on page 2-111 of the Main Estimates, Volume 1. We will defer page 2-111, and we’ll move on to page 2-112, information item,
Active Positions — By Region. Are there no questions?
Financial Management Board Secretariat,
Program Summary, Active Positions — By Region, information item, approved.
Main Estimates 2008–2009 Financial Management Board Secretariat
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
The Chair Glen Abernethy
Page 2-113,
information item, Active Positions — Community Allocation.
Financial Management Board Secretariat,
Program Summary, Active Positions — Community Allocation, information item, approved.
Main Estimates 2008–2009 Financial Management Board Secretariat
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
The Chair Glen Abernethy
Page 2-114, Financial Management Board Secretariat, information item, Revenue Summary.
Financial Management Board Secretariat,
Program Summary, Revenue Summary, information item, approved.
Main Estimates 2008–2009 Financial Management Board Secretariat
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
The Chair Glen Abernethy
Moving along to page 2-117, Activity Summary, Directorate, Budget Summary: $55.407 million.
Financial Management Board Secretariat,
Activity Summary, Directorate, Budget Summary: $55.407 million, approved.
Main Estimates 2008–2009 Financial Management Board Secretariat
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
The Chair Glen Abernethy
Page 2-118, Activity Summary, Directorate, Grants and Contributions, Contributions: $52.512.
Financial Management Board Secretariat,
Activity Summary, Directorate, Grants and Contributions, Contributions: $52.512 million, approved.
Main Estimates 2008–2009 Financial Management Board Secretariat
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
The Chair Glen Abernethy
Page 2-120,
information item, Directorate.
Financial Management Board Secretariat,
Activity Summary, Directorate, information item (page 2-120), approved.
Main Estimates 2008–2009 Financial Management Board Secretariat
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
The Chair Glen Abernethy
Page 2-121,
information item, Directorate.
Financial Management Board Secretariat,
Activity Summary, Directorate, information item (page 2-121), approved.
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