Thank you, Minister Miltenberger. General comments. Mr. Hawkins.

Thanks, Mr. Chair. I’m not sure why Mrs. Groenewegen would say there we go or here we go. I think it is very short-sighted and very narrow to thinking what I’m going to…(inaudible)... Actually, I don’t disagree with some of the things she said. My issue was more about the planning and evaluation of what they did. Minister Miltenberger didn’t answer that question, which was, when we look at those jobs, which jobs exactly were they? What type of evaluation? And maybe we can hear about where they’re going. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. Minister Miltenberger.

Mr. Chairman, I’ll get Mr. Aumond. He has the list of the positions. We’ll just take a second to go through the list. Thank you.

Thank you, Minister Miltenberger. Mr. Aumond.

Thank you, Mr. Aumond. Mr. Hawkins.

Thanks very much. I think in large it speaks to what I am talking about, which is we have an opportunity to expand.

I guess I'll lead into the next area of saying, let’s start with first, can I get a copy of the list, or all Members, that is, so we can have it in front of us? What type of evaluation or discussion did the department have with the BIP office? Discussion and evaluation of the BIP office, to decentralize it. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. Minister Miltenberger.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. We would, of course, share that list with the Members and if they need a briefing on rationale, we could do that as well. I must confess, I didn’t quite catch the question on the BIP office. Is the Member asking what their thought was about being decentralized? I didn’t quite understand that. If I could get clarification, please.

Thank you, Minister Miltenberger. We’ll go back to the Member for clarification. Member Hawkins.

Thanks, Mr. Chairman. I guess I’m getting at the fact that what type of discussion and evaluation was considered in the BIP office to move?

The Premier and Cabinet provided direction to the government from two departments to go back to their organizations and look at what could possibly be decentralized, and in a meaningful way that cohesive units or positions that would make sense that could easily function outside of Yellowknife. The BIP office was one of the suggestions brought forward. Some of the other departments were holding off pending the outcome of decentralization, for example. ENR and ITI, for example, are heavily caught up in that they go over land and water and resource development. So those will be looked at later. So it was brought forward at the direction of Cabinet and the Premier to come forward, and based on a list of principles that we laid out, which we’d be happy to share with the Members, the rationale about why we did it and what things we were looking for. Thank you.

Are all four employees accepting a transfer? Thank you.

The deputy reminded me that we’ve already shared those principles in the rationale for the decentralization with committee, but we’d be happy to share it again. No, none of the existing incumbents will be moving. Thank you.

Sorry. For some reason I couldn’t hear that. It must be the ventilation or whatnot. But maybe if the Minister could repeat his answer on that. Are all four transferring to Hay River or what’s happening to the four bodies? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. I’ll get clarification from the Minister. Minister Miltenberger.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. There are three that are staffed, one is vacant. So there’s four total. Three staffed, one vacant and none of the incumbents have indicated they’re prepared to move; therefore, they will go on to the government’s Affected Employee Program. Thank you.

Thank you, Minister, for clarification. Mr. Hawkins.

That’s fine for now. I wanted to know what they did. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. General comments. I see there are no more general comments. What is the wish of committee? Mr. Hawkins.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I move that we report progress.

---Carried

I want to thank our witnesses here today, Mr. Kalgutkar and Mr. Aumond, and if I could get the Sergeant-at-Arms to escort them out of the Chamber for today. With this, committee, I will now rise and report progress.

Report of Committee of the Whole, Mr. Chair.