Thank you, Mr. Chair, and yes, that is correct. Thank you.
Debates of Feb. 20th, 2018
This is page numbers 3261 – 3304 of the Hansard for the 18th Assembly, 3rd Session. The original version can be accessed on the Legislative Assembly's website or by contacting the Legislative Assembly Library. The word of the day was funding.
Topics
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
The Chair R.J. Simpson
Thank you. Nothing further from Ms. Green. Anything further to the activity of corporate management? Seeing none, I will call this activity. Mr. Thompson.
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Shane Thompson Nahendeh
Thank you, Mr. Chair. On page 33, contract services went down to $780,000. Can the Minister explain what the change is between 2017-2018 and 2018-2019? There is a difference of $107,000.
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Lovely
Thank you, Mr. Chair. As part of bringing more services in-house, we are going to use fewer contracted services from the company that I had previously mentioned. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Shane Thompson Nahendeh
Thank you, Mr. Chair. Just to clarify, if the company is coming in and we are going to save some money, why aren't we hiring more people to save more money if we are trying to reduce this area? Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Haener
Thank you, Mr. Chair. These resources were contracted with a consulting firm that specialized in IT services for our case management system, and we, in looking at that, determined that it was actually cheaper to hire people and employ them in-house to perform those tasks. That is why we are looking at the three resources and less expenditure in contracted services. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Kevin O'Reilly Frame Lake
Thanks, Mr. Chair. I am looking at the operations expenditure summary, the compensation and benefits line. There is this decreasing trend from 2016-2017 where it was $8.1 million down to $6.9 million anticipated for 2018-2019, but when I look at the next page, which is the active positions, we see that there is actually a three-person increase in this activity area for the department. Can someone explain to me how we are adding staff, but the money for compensation and benefits is actually going down over time? Thanks, Mr. Chair.
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Lovely
Thank you, Mr. Chair. Each year, as part of our accounting process, we have to accrue an amount for employee leave and termination benefits. Part of that actual dollar amount of $8,102,000 includes that, plus we had also run through a couple of senior managers, and we were paying one while they were in their retirement process, so that cost also is incurred as well. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Kevin O'Reilly Frame Lake
Thanks, Mr. Chair. Just so I understand, there were some extraordinary costs related to personnel or human resources issues back in 2016-2017. It was like a one-time thing in one year? Thanks, Mr. Chair.
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Kevin O'Reilly Frame Lake
Thanks, Mr. Chair. On the contract services line, the main estimates for last year were $887,000 but only $396,000 was expended. Can someone tell me what happened there and whether any of that contract work has now been carried forward into the new year 2018-2019? Thanks, Mr. Chair.
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Lovely
Thank you, Mr. Chair. Again, this relates to the senior manager positions. As part of a reduction exercise that we undertook in 2017-2018, we reduced the contract services by $400,000. That's largely attributed to that. We were trying to bring most of those services in-house, as the deputy minister had indicated, but we were unable to find the number of qualified applicants to undertake a full in-source of that service, so we are blending that service and bringing part of it in-house and part of it through contracted services, hence the increase in the next year. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
The Chair R.J. Simpson
Thank you, Mr. Lovely. Nothing further from Mr. O'Reilly. Next is Mr. Testart.
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Kieron Testart Kam Lake
Thank you, Mr. Chair. As with a number of Members on the issue of arts funding, the NWT Arts Strategy has been raised. This framework has not been reviewed in a significant amount of time. I'm wondering if the Minister can commit to reviewing that framework within this fiscal year. Thank you.
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
The Chair R.J. Simpson
Thank you, Mr. Testart. Would the Minister confirm whether or not this is the proper section to raise that issue?
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Alfred Moses Inuvik Boot Lake
Thank you, Mr. Chair. No, it's not the proper section, but I will commit that we will looking at that framework within this government. Thank you, Mr. Chair.