Thank you. Information item. Mr. Menicoche.

Thank you very much, Madam Chair. If I could just ask you to slow down a bit there, Madam Chair, if you don’t mind.

Sure. No problem. So we are on page 3-14, information item, active positions in the directorate. Any questions?

Agreed, thank you. Page 3-17, operations expenditure summary, human resource strategy and policy, activity summary, $7.134 million. Mr. Hawkins.

Thank you, Madam Chair. We’ve slowed down from the blistering pace of reviewing the budget. I was just wondering, can the department provide some examples as to what purchased services are for $69,000 and as well as some examples of the contract services it looks like for $974,000. Now, I know this is the ‘12-13 budget, but they should be able to give me a predictability or framework of things they intend to purchase or what should typically fall under this. Thank you.

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

Thank you. I’m not sure I heard contract services, but at the same time can I get fees and payables? Most Members would note that there’s over a $900,000 jump in fees and payments and I’m trying to understand the prediction between that. Would that have to do with negotiations and how would they break out? Thank you.

Thank you for the answer. Why is it so high, though, that it seems to be a bit of a distinguishing gap between what looks like a couple of years prior, $14,000, $21,000 to almost $1 million in services. So why?

Thank you. Mr. Abernethy.

Thank you, Madam Chair. It’s a change in line items. If you look at TSC chargebacks in previous years, in 2010-11 it was $907,000 and in 2011-12 it was $916,000. You’ll notice that its zero on this line at this point. That’s because this number has been moved up into the new fees and payments and that’s where it is showing now.

So the obvious question is why do that then? If it’s just TSC services like other departments, why is it? Is it an accounting problem? Why would you do that if we’ve already got it listed under something? Predictably I guess it’s more of a finance question by saying this is the type of process we’d see in other departments. But as far as Human Resources goes, why would we change line items if you’re trying to follow the budget?

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

Just of particular note, I paged over to 6-7, which happens happily to be of course Municipal and Community Affairs, and coincidentally it’s also the DM’s old department, but TSC chargeback is consistent under that heading. Therefore, it does beg to wonder why we’re changing the heading under this particular one. It doesn’t follow any consistent practice. Now, I only went to one department, but it was the first department I went to and I’m just curious, does it come to a formal direction by some accounting experts? I’m not trying to put too fine of a point on it, but we’re changing the language. The public itself could have some trouble with this.

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. Mr. Abernethy.

Thank you, Madam Chair. The Member is correct; it’s actually an error within the Department of Human Resources and it needs to be put into the right category.

I thank the Minister for coming so clear on that. The question would then beg: What are the fees and payments for this particular department if there is a number there in that column?

That would be $916,000, similar to previous year.

So I’m going to suspect that it’s $21,000 for the account. I’m seeing a nod, so no need to go to the Minister. I’m happy with that answer.

That’s correct.