Floyd Roland

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, the average vacancy within government as a whole would vary in the area of probably 12 percent.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I will have Mr. Rattray provide some detail in that area.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the category of P2 is one of concern to us as a government in reviewing the information. We know we are going to have to look at that. It will be one of the areas within the report. We would like to go through this whole process and bring it together as a package. As a government, we also have to be cognizant of the issues that are out there. We will be reviewing this situation. If we decide to make one piece of it and make a number of changes...We will be reviewing the full impact of taking one piece of it on the government staffing situation. Thank you...

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. There may have been a way to impact on some of the prices during the initial phase of the transfer when the assets would still be GNWT assets; where there may be an option to get back into it if the company found that it was not feasible or if the working agreement was not honoured. In the particular case…(inaudible)…the transfer of the facilities has happened, an agreement was reached on that and followed through with. Once we’ve devolved ourselves of the assets, it is very limited in what we might be able to do in affecting the price. That would be much the same as...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As I had stated earlier, with the work we are undertaking now to bring forward a document for Members to review, at that point I would take that into consideration. At the present time, I think we need to do the work we are. We understand there are problems and we’re working to try to improve on that, but I’d like to bring the next piece of the work to Members from that point, then look at what we might do or not do. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. It is work performed on behalf of others. It is a cost recovery item that we provide to departments and boards. It is something that we do get our money back for. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the intention is to go through the whole affirmative action policy and address all the categories that we have, as well as the policy overall which we, as government, deal with. It has been one, ever since its inception, that has been tagged with some problems. The goal again is to try to have a representative workforce within the Northwest Territories and as we have moved forward, we have begun to review it. There have been a number of reviews, but we feel at this time that we should be able to bring something before the Members of this Assembly...

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, what the Member has stated is correct. Once an operation has been privatized and it’s a private market, that is private business that is operating it, we have no ability to influence the price. The only thing that can then influence, and the Member has hit on it a bit here, is competition from another company. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the committee that the Member just spoke about hasn’t been in operation for quite some time now. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. That is our estimate. It could be a little bit better than that, but that is the estimate that we have at this point. Thank you.