Okay. We can move back to page 5-7, department summary, operations expenditure summary, $74.875 million.

Does the committee agree that we’ve concluded the main estimates for the Department of Finance?

With that, I’d like to thank the Minister and thank the witnesses. Sergeant-at-Arms, escort the witnesses out.

Is committee agreed the next department we’ll be considering at this time is the Department of Executive?

With that, I’ll ask the Minister responsible for the Department of Executive if he has some opening remarks. Mr. Roland.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I am pleased to present the 2009-10 main estimates for the Department of Executive. The goals for the Department of Executive are centred around our role in ensuring effective coordination of government activities, supporting informed decision-making related to policies and programming, and coordinating implementation of strategic initiatives that advance the priorities of the 16th Legislative Assembly.

The overall proposed budget for the department is $11.891 million for 2009-10, which is a decline of 6.1 percent from the 2008-09 main estimates. The overall decline is largely due to the impacts of the reductions initiated in 2008-09 being fully implemented. The department will have 59 active positions in 2009-10, which is unchanged from 2008-09.

The 2009-10 main estimates reflect a number of key activities where the department will play a critical role in leading or coordinating the development and implementation of strategic actions that advance the Assembly’s priorities.

The executive operations branch includes the strategic planning unit, program review office, Bureau of Statistics, office of devolution, and the regional operations offices for the Department of Executive. In addition to the core business activities, there are a number of priority areas that will be advanced during 2009-10. The branch helps coordinate activities of the Strategic Initiative committees. It will also play a coordinating role related to further activities to improve service

delivery in rural and remote communities in cooperation with the Committee on Rural and Remote Communities. The department is also working with Finance and a number of impacted departments on the work to provide further support to non-government organizations that deliver critical services on behalf of the GNWT. They are also providing overall coordination for the GNWT participation at the 2010 Olympics and Paralympic Games.

The program review office was established in June 2008 and is getting fully staffed and has begun work on a number of reviews. The office of devolution continues to lead our efforts on devolution negotiations and has helped coordinate the GNWT review of the Northern Regulatory Improvement Initiative. The Bureau of Statistics continues their efforts to enhance evidence-based information available for decision-making, with an early focus in the new year to complete the 2009 community survey.

The regional offices of the Executive have completed the transformation to two regional directors and are functioning well with active regional management committees in all five regions. These committees work on inter-departmental regional issues and bring a regional perspective to the development of strategic actions for government.

The Cabinet support branch of the Department of Executive is responsible for ensuring systems are in place to support informed decision-making and successful implementation of Cabinet direction. The branch includes the Cabinet Secretariat, legislation and house planning, corporate communications and protocol, the Women’s Advisory Office, and supports the Commissioner’s Office.

In addition to the core activities of the branch, a key focus for 2009-10 will be improving GNWT communications planning and delivery. While departments are and will continue to be responsible for their departmental communications, we will be taking steps to provide a more coordinated and strategic approach to communications on a government-wide level.

These main estimates also increase our support for the Status of Women’s Council for the NWT and the Native Women’s Association to help ensure they are able to continue to deliver important services on behalf of the GNWT.

Other key activities for the department that are reflected in these main estimates include the Ministers’ offices which include the Premier’s office and support to Ministers. Also reflected is the departmental directorate which includes the office of the secretary to Cabinet who is responsible for

providing overall leadership for the public service, supporting Executive Council decision-making and coordinating the development and implementation of overall government-wide direction. Finally, the department also provides administrative support to the Public Utilities Board, which is the independent regulatory agency responsible for energy regulation within the Northwest Territories.

Mr. Chairman, that concludes my introductory remarks and I would be pleased to answer any questions that committee members may have. Thank you.

Mr. Premier, with that we’ll take a short break and we’ll begin again shortly.

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I’d like to call Committee of the Whole back to order. At this time, I’d like to ask the Premier if he’d like to bring in witnesses. Mr. Premier.

Yes, Mr. Chairman.

Does committee agree the Premier brings in his witnesses?

Agreed. Sergeant-at-Arms, please escort the witnesses in.

For the record, Mr. Premier, please introduce your witnesses.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. To my left is secretary to Cabinet, Mr. David Ramsden, and to my right is Mr. David Stewart with the Department of Executive. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Premier. Welcome, witnesses. General comments on the Department of Executive. Detail?

Okay. We’ll refer to page 2-7 and from there, we will defer that and move on to page 2-8, infrastructure investment summary, information item. Agreed?

Page 2-9, information item, revenue summary. Agreed?

Page 2-10, information item, active positions. Mr. Abernethy.

Thank you. Just to be consistent, can we get a breakdown of positions in this department by P1, P2, P3 and any women and disabled as well? Not women who are disabled, just women and disabled.