Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I have some opening comments. Mr. Chairman, I’m pleased to be here today to discuss Bill 30, An Act to Amend the Public Service Act. This bill proposes three amendments to the Public Service Act to simplify human resource management for the benefit of our employees.

A range of legislation, policy, Collective Agreement terms and conditions of employment, human rights and labour law governs human resource management in the public service. This provides a transparent, balanced approach to ensure employees and managers understand their responsibilities and rights.

Through the Bill 30 amendments, I believe we created an efficient and sensible approach for employees to fulfill the government’s duty to accommodate obligations, meet the government’s commitment to retain employees affected by layoff and realize the Chief Electoral Officer’s recommendation to eliminate a perceived conflict of interest for those employees interested in seeking political candidacy.

During the standing committee’s review of the bill, concerns were expressed on impacts to employees and members of the public interested in GNWT employment. Bill 30 does not change our established commitments. Public service employees’ rights and responsibilities remain unchanged. It does not expand the power of the GNWT to appoint individuals without competition. GNWT managers act responsibly within the legal and policy frameworks provided in the best interest of their employees and the public service as a whole.

Bill 30 simplifies and fine tunes the existing legal mechanisms we use to accomplish our accommodation and staff retention goals.

I would be pleased to answer any questions Members have today. Mahsi cho.