If I could get you to return to page 12-7. Mr. Ramsay.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I think when we were going through page by page, the chairperson at the time didn’t call 12-14. You may just want to call 12-14 again, for the record, just before we conclude.

Thank you, Minister Ramsay. We’ll just check with the Clerk’s staff.

I just checked with the Clerk’s staff and there’s nothing reported, so we don’t need to include it, but I appreciate the Minister’s vigilance.

Page 12-7, Industry, Tourism and Investment, department summary, operations expenditure summary, $67.541 million. Agreed?

Does committee agree that consideration of the Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment is completed?

Thank you, committee. I’d like to thank our witnesses here, Ms. Magrum, Mr. Vician and Mr. Ramsay. Mr. Ramsay.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I know it’s not Ms. Magrum’s last time at the table as ENR is coming up, but I just wanted to thank her. I know she’s going to be retiring soon and leaving the Government of the Northwest Territories. I just wanted to thank her for all of her hard work that she does on behalf of ITI. I know Minister Miltenberger will get a chance to thank her as well. Thank you.

---Applause

Thank you, Minister Ramsay, for those kind words. Ms. Magrum, enjoy your retirement.

We’re in agreement mode here today, that’s great. Sergeant-at-Arms, please escort the witnesses out of the Chamber. Thank you.

As per committee wishes, we will turn our attention now to the Minister of Finance for his opening comments. Minister of Finance.

I am pleased to present the 2014-15 Main Estimates for the Department of Finance. Overall, the department’s estimates, propose an increase of $33.4 million, or 19 percent over the restated 2013-2014 estimates. Highlights of the proposed estimates include:

•

a total contribution of $83.5 million to the

Northwest Territories Housing Corporation to provide the corporation with its operating cash flow for the fiscal period, which is a 24 percent increase, or $16 million, over the previous year. The increase includes $6.75 million to expand the portfolio of market rental units and a $5 million increase for capital projects;

•

inclusion of an initial estimate of $15 million for

the transfer of 25 percent of the Government of the Northwest Territories’ net fiscal benefit from resource revenues to Aboriginal parties;

•

inclusion of $1.7 million to fund nine positions

associated with devolution implementation in order to process financial transactions, process employee service functions as well as supporting the GNWT’s financial reporting and fiscal policy functions;

•

creation of two new tax auditor positions in Hay

River and Inuvik to support the decentralization initiative;

•

base budget transfer of $21 million from the

Department of Human Resources as well as $1.7 million from the Department of Executive to reflect the transfer of the functions of Human Resources, the program review office and the Bureau of Statistics;

•

base budget transfers of $3.8 million from

departments to recognize full implementation of financial shared services across all regions.

The proposed Department of Finance 2014-2015 Main Estimates continue to support the priorities of the 17th Assembly and continue to advance

initiatives that will support the sustainability of our territory for future generations. Specific activities in support of these priorities include:

•

prudently managing the GNWT’s financial

resources, reaffirmed by Moody’s Investor Service with a continued credit rating of Aa1;

•

coordinating the GNWT decentralization

initiative;

•

strategic infrastructure investments such as the

Mackenzie Valley fibre optic link;

•

supporting the implementation of devolution;

•

moving to an increased service-focused

organization through implementation of the Service Innovation Strategy and functions of Finance operating under service partnership agreements such as financial shared services, employee benefits and payroll.

The department’s estimates have been restated to include the transfer of specific functions that are better aligned with the core business of Finance.

•

In order to enhance the GNWT business

planning process, the program review office and the Bureau of Statistics will be transferred to Finance from the Department of Executive.

o Increased ability for the program review

office to work closely with the Management Board Secretariat of Finance to develop and implement a systematic review of operations as well as the Bureau of Statistics in developing forecasting, and integrating those processes into the business planning process;

o Ability to integrate program review office

recommendations directly into decisions materials when appropriate;

o Increased efficiencies as the program review

office operates under the direction of Refocusing Government committees which are chaired by the deputy minister and Minister of Finance respectively.

•

The Department of Human Resources will be

transferring the employee services section which includes a regional presence, the Human Resources information systems, or PeopleSoft, as well as the helpdesk function. Advantages of the transfer are:

o allowing HR to focus on a leadership role in

HR management;

o payroll and benefits operating in an

environment focused on transaction processing and controls with a shared services mandate;

o information system support resources will be

more integrated and effective.

That concludes my opening remarks. Thank you.

Thank you, Minister Miltenberger. Minister Miltenberger, do you have witnesses you’d like to bring into the House?

Yes, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Minister Miltenberger. Does committee agree?

Thank you, committee. Sergeant-at-Arms, will you please escort the witnesses into the House, please and thank you.

Minister Miltenberger, if you’d like to introduce your witnesses to the House, please.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I have with me Mr. Mike Aumond, Mr. Sandy Kalgutkar and Mr. Jamie Koe from the Department of Finance.

Thank you, Minister Miltenberger. Mr. Koe, Mr. Kalgutkar, Mr. Aumond, welcome to the Chamber again. Committee, we would like to do general comments.

I’m getting detail. Seeing no general comments, we’ll go into detail. Is that right, committee?

Thank you, committee. Committee, we’ll defer 5-7. We’ll come back to it after we’re finished the activity summaries. Committee, I have 5-8, information item, infrastructure investment summary. Any questions?