Thank you, Member for Hay River South. Minister of Finance.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I've also never had a government job until now, and my process was a bit unique. Perhaps this a conversation I can have with the Member not in this forum. I don't have hiring information in front of me; I only have the budgeting main estimates in front of me. It will depend on each job. Technical jobs will have very different hiring processes than a less technical job; there may well be exams for certain technical requirements, may well be essays, language testing, et cetera. So, it will vary quite a bit. I expect there may be some specific contests that the Member is most concerned about, and so it would make the most sense to me to have that conversation directly to ensure that I'm answering that question on whatever most relevant job it is that he's concerned with. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Minister. Member for Hay River South.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Just a comment now, and that's with respect to the P1. I think it's very important that, when we look at hiring P1s, you know, there's a reason why you have that in place. I had told one of my colleagues in the last two days, if you're an Indigenous or an Aboriginal person, a lot of times what happens is, even if you've got a lot of education and a lot of experience, it's overlooked. They'll say, well, we can't hire that person just because they're Aboriginal. Sometimes they don't actually look at what you have for qualifications, and I think it's important that we do that, and that we direct the hiring people to do that as well. Just a comment, thank you.

Thank you, Member for Hay River South. Minister of Finance, do you want to respond?

Madam Chair, challenges have been expressed. The hiring process that we have is meant to be one that is objective, that includes opportunities for objectivity in terms evaluating qualifications. The race to ensure that objectivity can make the process seem arduous, so I understand that there are some frustrations. I'm alive to it. I appreciate getting the comments from the Member. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Minister. Further questions on the human resources activity in the Department of Finance? Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I'm just looking, related to the budget here, under management and recruitment services, there is the strategic human resources. The main estimates this year, compared to the main estimates last year, are very, very similar. There's not much change in there. We talk a lot about investing into getting more staff. I know that those things may come later, with our priorities, but one of the things that I want to know is, in the strategic human resource section, when you break down that budget, it talks about the 20/20: A Brilliant North, NWT Public Service Strategic Plan. We have the Affirmative Action Plan, we've got the 20/20: A Brilliant North, and that one was done in 2009. It's a 10-year plan about fixing the foundation and using the Affirmative Action Policy.

My question is: with the budget that we have here, and knowing that this action plan is over, and we haven't brought up any of our stats, and looking if we look back at our history of bringing up Indigenous managers, I think some of the areas in the different departments were falling behind. I'm just going to ask the Minister: if that strategic human resource, which provides a lot of the support to new managers, or providing support to training on the job to new managers, getting Indigenous people to move along in the workforce, if that's effective? Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes. Minister of Finance.

Thank you, Madam Chair. The Member is quite correct. There is not a large forced growth estimate in terms of the resources that are in strategic human resources, which doesn't speak to the work that's ongoing in that department to ensure that we are achieving the goals of a representative workforce. Between April 1^st and December 31^st, for example, 357 courses were being delivered online and in-person, so there is a lot of effort going on there. There's a long list of different programs that are administered at the GNWT.

I do know, Madam Chair, that, if you compare the actuals, some of the programs aren't being utilized with as much uptake as is available. They have more capacity to take more people in and to provide, in fact, more services than what are being availed of. That is one opportunity. I do recognize that exists, that if we have these programs, that we have to make sure they are being adequately utilized, whether that's a communications need or whether it's making sure that the eligibility for getting into those programs is properly attuned. I remain hopeful that with that greater uptake, with being conscious of the uptake of the programs, and with continuing to develop the training programs that are available, that we will be moving forward in a positive direction. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Minister. Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Would you be able to elaborate on some of the reasons why, and I know I'll probably hear it, because we are bad communicators, but can the Minister explain why the uptake of these programs are not being utilized? Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes. Minister.

Madam Chair, I think all I can say to the Member at this point is that that question has already been asked, and I will commit to get back when we have a more fulsome response. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Minister. Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes.

Just one last question. The only reason that I am highlighting this is because it was quoted in the strategic human resource line item that falls in this report. I'm just wondering if there is a review of that report that came about, because it is past the 10 years, and it was a 10-year action plan. Thank you.

Thank you, Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes. Minister of Finance.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Not that I am aware of. I can certainly commit to finding out, and depending on the answer to that, of course, it may lead me to more questions in due course. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you, committee. The next key activity is Information Systems Shared Services, beginning on page 144. Are there questions on this key activity? Questions on key activity Information Systems Shared Services, starting on page 144. Member for Yellowknife North.

Thank you, Madam Chair. One of my issues in going through these main estimates is that there is essentially a lack of detail in all of them, and I don't want to ask the department and the Minister to break down every single item. One of the issues that I have found previously is that contract services can include everything from photocopiers to some payment of some consultant. Can I get a breakdown of what the $2,600,000 in Information Systems Shared Services contract services is?

Thank you, Member for Yellowknife North. Minister of Finance.

Madam Chair, thank you, and I certainly can commit to providing that to the Member. Yes, Madam Chair, I am going to have to commit to providing it to the Member. I have some information in front of me, and frankly, it involves acronyms that I think I would rather just make that commitment.