Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, the presentation by the Minister in terms of their operations with Human Resources, it seems as if the Minister is making some movements which I am very pleased to see, read and hear what you are doing. I am certainly looking forward to the corporate strategic plan for the Northwest Territories in terms of how this is rolling out in a framework that is going to be implemented through the HR system here and the discussions we are going to have in terms of improving. We are always improving our staff who work with our people to improve services to our people in the communities. I look forward to seeing ways that this department is going to work within our government for

efficiencies and the effectiveness of delivering programs.

I am very happy that the Minister indicated in his presentation of a huge on-line response in terms of the feedback you are getting. That gives me a signal. There are a lot of people out there that want to do things. If you get a good response, that means the apathy isn’t there. These people in your department or within the government, I believe, Mr. Minister, they have enough trust, confidence, that when you ask for an on-line survey it means you are going to make good on it in terms of what they are going to offer and their suggestions. I take that as a good signal when you get a good response. These people in the GNWT want to see if they can make a difference by offering some of their suggestions. In that sense, I take it as a really good suggestion.

Mr. Chair, the department has outlined a number of initiatives and two caught my selective listening. The two that really caught my ear were the Aboriginal Employees Advisory Committee. I think that’s something that is long overdue and not knowing too much about the committee, the structure of the members, I think this committee could provide some solid recommendations, advice, to HR within itself to increase the percentage of senior management within government. Some departments are doing really good, some are improving, some are not doing too good in terms of increasing the level of senior management of aboriginal candidates into the system. I am hoping, not knowing what this whole committee is about, that this committee could certainly…Actually, I wouldn’t mind a copy of the structure of this committee, records, to help with the HR in the government.

I look forward to seeing the goals that are set in terms of increasing the aboriginal senior management in some of the departments any way you could help to increase it, providing that they are qualified, they earn the title to get there and there are some others that certainly need extra support to be there. So there are some employees that are in the position for a long, long time and some of them, I think, should be given some of the opportunities to move up. I am not saying it’s not been done, but just the way I look at things sometimes. The Minister can correct me if he wants to, but I just want to look at those types of issues that I think that this department is moving a long way. I look forward to some of the other issues as we discussed in the Minister’s budget proposal, Mr. Chair.

Those are some of the issues that have caught my ear. One that really stood out to me, again, because of my selective listening, is the $100,000 going towards the Yellowknife Health and Social

Services Authority for the consolidation of primary care clinics. For me, that goes against what I have been saying just with the Health Minister in terms of what we want in our small communities. We are putting $100,000 towards a consolidated health care clinic in the capital here and we just finished the budget with the Minister of Health and Social Services and HR is putting this kind of money. I am going to have to question you later on, Minister, because I am just reading what I have been presented. For me, it’s like gee whiz. It’s a crying shame here that this kind of money gets into projects like this. So, again, Mr. Chair, this is just what stands out for me and the Minister does provide some answers that it might be just a shame, you know, with this kind of money.

Anyhow, overall, I am pretty satisfied with what the Minister presented. It’s the one hiccup and I wouldn’t mind some answers later on. But when we get to detail, Mr. Chair, I am looking forward to seeing some improvements in the overall GNWT in terms of northern and aboriginal senior management getting into positions where hopefully they will make a difference in our communities. I think they will and I believe they will, providing we give them support, encouragement and opportunities. I think they will do good jobs. There are lots of good people in the region, the communities, who I can name off the top of my hat right now in terms of where they could excel in the government. I just want to make those comments to the Minister right now, Mr. Chair, in terms of his presentation. These are just comments. I can wait for feedback later on.