Bob McLeod

Mr. Chair, we provide human resource services out of all of the offices. Some may not provide as many services as others, depending on the location. Generally, the larger regional centres are full service, but the smaller ones may not be as full service.

The discussion’s in Cabinet.

The total amount of the chargeback to HR is $628,000.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. With me I have on my left Sharilyn Alexander, acting deputy minister of Human Resources, and on my right I have Shaleen Woodward, the director of Human Resources Strategy.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I think it’s important for the Member to understand that the Department of HR is a service department. The departments make the decisions on hiring and staffing. We provide service. We give advice and recommendations, and that’s the whole purpose of the Department of HR.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I understand the Premier already addressed this and provided a response at a number of meetings with the standing committees. He also talked about it yesterday in question period. I think that would be sufficient.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I’m pleased to present the Main Estimates for the Department of Human Resources for the fiscal year 2008–2009. The department’s 2008–2009 Main Estimates propose O&M expenditures of $32.253 million. This represents an increase of $662,000, or 2.1 per cent, over the 2007–2008 Main Estimates.

The department has reduced expenditures in areas such as travel, salaries, contracted services, and fees and payments, but the overall budget has grown due to collective agreement adjustments and increases to the cost of medical travel assistance.

The Department of Human Resources Main...

The Department of Human Resources was involved in the discussions with the other departments. It was not a requirement for HR to give their stamp of approval on any proposed reductions.

I’m not sure what letters the Member’s referring to, Mr. Chair.

Mr. Speaker, generally, we encourage employees to take the pre-retirement training earlier in their careers rather than a year or six months before the time to retire, and generally, we pay for one pre-retirement training course per employee.