Thank you, Madam Chair. I am pleased to present the Department of Human Resources’ main estimates for fiscal year 2014-15.

The department is proposing an operations expenditure budget of $23.6 million. This is a reduction of $18.5 million for 2013-14, a decrease of 44 percent. This reduction is largely the result of the transfer of employee-specific services such as pay and benefits, including regional roles, Helpdesk and human resources information systems to the Department of Finance. The transfer includes the compensation and benefits for 78 Department of Human Resources staff who are transferring to the Department of Finance, as well as GNWT-wide medical travel and dental plan benefits, and

information technology assets associated with PeopleSoft payroll and shift schedule operations.

The transfer of functions to Finance will increase efficiencies by aligning the GNWT’s corporate finance and human resource information platform for SAM and PeopleSoft. It will frame payroll and benefits within official environment and it will enhance the Department of Human Resources expertise in providing quality GNWT-wide programs, services and strategic advice in human resource management.

The mandate of the Department of Human Resources continues to be to provide leadership and direction to the GNWT, its boards and agencies in areas of human resource management. The department’s leadership on human resource management supports all departments and agencies in effectively recruiting, managing and retaining their staff.

The department ensures that the public service is managed as a corporate resource in a way that promotes human resource stability, employee retention and maximum effectiveness. In turn, this supports the interests of the government and the vision of believing in people and building on the strengths of Northerners.

In our role as a corporate service provider, $4.7 million, or 20 percent of the department’s 2014-15 funding, is allocated for direct support to departments and agencies through programs to address hiring, training and development for anticipated labour shortages in the GNWT. Investments and support of our Workforce Planning Strategy and regional recruitment programs and ongoing initiatives under maximizing northern employment ensure we connect with Northerners to fill our vacancies.

The department is reconstructing two major activities post transfer. First, the human resource strategy and policy division have been amalgamated into the directorate and will be called Corporate Affairs. This change is consistent with the structure of other GNWT departments. Second, the Corporate Human Resources Division has been renamed Strategic Human Resources and the Business Performance Unit and has been re-profiled to this division.

This restructuring strengthens the foundation of human resource management and reflects the government-wide strategic focus of HR programs and initiatives. The department continues to focus on its major renaming responsibility for devolution by ensuring a smooth welcome for federal employees into the GNWT public service. Human Resources will continue to support departments and agencies in their ongoing recruitment efforts to fill positions to ensure the GNWT has a knowledgeable and experienced public service,

able to provide service delivery responsibly as it acquires through devolution.

Our recent career fair in Ottawa, as well as our ongoing HR open houses in the NWT regional centres factor largely in our efforts to fill our vacant positions, particularly those related to devolution. Ongoing development of the public service through 2020, a Public Service Strategic Plan remains a key priority. The department continues to implement practical actions under 2020 through a four-year action plan for 2012 to 2016. Implementation of several initiatives intended to address anticipated labour shortages in the public service that focus on getting more Northerners into the public service and keeping them there is a priority in 2014-15.

The Workforce Planning Strategy, the Regional Recruitment Program and the Student and Youth Strategy are being incorporated into ongoing work for 2020 in support of the 17th Assembly’s priority to

increase employment opportunities where they are most needed. At the same time, we continue to look at ways to attract employees to the GNWT from elsewhere when the NWT labour market cannot provide the skill sets that we require.

As positions become vacant, the GNWT faces a significant challenge in stabilizing our existing workforce through retention initiatives and continual recruitment. The Workforce Planning Strategy provides recruitment and retention efforts, which result in the public service that is representative, effective and ensures organizational stability to achieve our corporate and operational goals. It includes an array of such strategies for students and youth, hard to recruit positions, inclusion, focus on Aboriginal persons and persons with disability, bilingual persons, career fairs, and of course, regional recruitment.

Under the umbrella of the Workforce Planning Strategy, the Regional Recruitment Program assists in increasing regional employment opportunities by using unique approaches to recruitment that will link community residents with on-the-job training in order to fill our regional vacancies in a way that prepares northern residents to be successful in these jobs. The Student and Youth Strategy improves on existing student and youth programming to link anticipated job opportunities in the public service with studies of Northerners.

In addition to devolution, the employment strategies in the department’s 2014-15 main estimates supports the following key initiatives:

• Strategies that enhance our ability to attract,

retain, advance Aboriginal employees at all levels of the public service. Good progress is being made in this area and there is more work to be done.

• Recruitment initiatives for persons with

disability, youth, bilingual positions and hard to recruit positions to fill vacancies and promote GNWT as an employer of choice.

• Occupational health and safety training will

continue to be a priority in order to minimize the risk of employees to be injured on the job.

• An array of corporate knowledge transfer

initiatives will be rolled out to assist in the succession planning given that our public service demographic information projects a significant number of public servants who are eligible to retire.

• Implementation of a memorandum of agreement

reached with the Union of Northern Workers for safe disclosure and rest periods.

• Continued support for our careers and

Department of Health and Social Services websites, as well as social media sites both as a means of communication with current and potential employees and as a specialized tool for targeted recruitment strategies.

• Continued training for managers and employees

to ensure their understanding of human resource management including filling vacancies, labour relations, occupational health and safety and the duty to accommodate.

• Aboriginal culture awareness and respectful

workplaces.

As I announced earlier, for the second year in a row the Government of the Northwest Territories has been chosen as one of Canada’s best diversity employers. The selection for 2014 recognizes our many initiatives to develop and encourage a diverse, inclusive workplace and the investment into the public service through 2020. We are proud of this achievement. Based on our vision of believing in people and building on the strengths of Northerners, we are making the right investment.

In closing, I am proud of the good work the Department of Human Resources does which serves the interests of the GNWT thus the people of the Northwest Territories overall; 2013-14 has been a productive year with significant milestones accomplished, and I am confident that we will continue this momentum in 2014-15 and ensure another excellent year. Thank you.