Great, thank you, Madam Chair. This category contains issues like major programs and service initiatives. More importantly, I believe French language services falls under this particular category. Can the Minister or delegation give us a status or progress update on the advisor position for the French position?

Thank you, Mr. Dolynny. Mr. Abernethy.

Thank you, Madam Chair. The position is currently out for competition. We hope to have it filled very shortly.

Keeping within the parameters of this category here, we know that with other programs and services we have the transition within PeopleSoft from 8.9 to 9.1. There’s also an e-Performance project initiative that I believe is happening within this fiscal framework. Those two initiatives, can we get more clarity as to exactly what those costs will be for those changes?

Thank you, Mr. Dolynny. Ms. Bassi-Kellett.

Thank you, Ms. Bassi-Kellett.

Thank you, Madam Chair. No further questions on this section.

I’m sorry, I didn’t hear that.

No further questions, Madam Chair.

Thank you. Page 3-17, operations expenditure summary, human resource strategy and policy, $7.134 million.

Thank you. On the following page 3-18, human resource strategy and policy, active positions, information item. Mr. Hawkins.

Thank you, Madam Chair. We may have to go back. I’m just seeking clarification from the department. Bilingual services, there’s an allowance program built into Human Resources. Is this under this particular section or can the Minister point to a more specific page that should be referenced on it and we can talk about it then?

What is the wish of the committee? Are we amenable…

---Interjection

Mr. Abernethy.

Thank you, Madam Chair. If I understand correctly, the Member is asking about bilingual bonuses that employees can get. That comes out of each individual department out of their compensation and benefits section. So it will show up in every department under compensation and benefits. It’s not broken out specifically because the number changes fairly regularly as people come in that are receiving the bonus, but it all comes out of individual departments’ compensation and benefits.

Thank you, Mr. Abernethy. Ms. Bisaro.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I’m not sure if I’m in the right place but I would like to ask a question with regard to service level agreements. The Auditor General recommended that Health and Social Services and Education, I believe, develop service-level agreements. They were to be developed in conjunction with the Department of Human Resources. I would like to ask the Minister where things are at in terms of the service-level agreements for both health and social services and education authorities.

Thank you, Ms. Bisaro. Mr. Abernethy.

Thank you, Madam Chair. The service-level agreements are a critical component and we do need to get those in place.

Right now we’re working with Health and Social Services to set up some service-level agreements which we’re going to be piloting. We’re having those negotiations and discussions this week and hopefully we’ll have those in place soon. We wish to pilot through the 2012-2013 fiscal year and then assess, figure out what works and what doesn’t, fix the more appropriate, and start implementing them across the government over the following years.

Thanks to the Minister for the response. I’m not sure again if this is the right place. I could be directed to the right section if I’m out of line here. I wanted to ask a question with regard to the role of Human Resources in our devolution negotiations and implementation. I believe that there is an employee within Aboriginal Affairs who is working on human resource matters. Is there any money within this budget for the Department of Human Resources that is going to the devolution work that we’re currently doing as a government?

The Department of Executive has a committee that’s working on the devolution issues with respect to where positions may go. With respect to devolution in general and bringing in employees, we are there to provide guidance and direction with respect to Human Resources policy. We don’t have additional money in our budget to do that. We are doing it out of Human Resources strategy and policy with the resources we currently have.

I guess I’m just trying to clarify, I don’t remember where I read it but I believe I read that there is an employee working in DAAIR who is doing nothing but human resources work. I wondered if that is somebody who has been seconded from Human Resources to DAAIR to do that work. Maybe the Minister could speak to that for me.