Mr. Speaker, I think the process is quite transparent. We post it on-line how individuals are eligible for these particular bonuses and these steps within their pay grids, what individuals have to do in order to be assessed to receive these steps and/or bonuses. At the end of the day, we can’t take away the fact the way positions are compensated in the Northwest Territories.
In 1989 a pay equity complaint was filed against the Government of the Northwest Territories because some jobs were deemed as not being compensated fairly or accurately. We lost that pay equity complaint, and as a result, we had to put a job evaluation system that assessed jobs based on knowledge or skills, problem solving and working conditions. That applies all the way up through the system, all the way up to senior management. So, all jobs are assessed-based on the work required, not the individuals doing it.
For senior managers it’s the same. For deputy heads a review of the salary was done in the early ‘90s and it was compared to other jurisdictions across the country. Since that time we haven’t changed the senior management grid, other than the normal performance increases that have been negotiated by the union.
Our compensation package is fair and reasonable. It’s transparent, it’s been posted. All salary ranges are posted in the Northwest Territories, and when it comes to the bonuses, all of that information is public, it’s all there. If you want to know how an individual is eligible and gets those bonuses, please look at the website. It’s there, it’s transparent and it’s available for everybody to look at. Thank you.