Floyd Roland

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, as the program exists today, elders who own their own homes and are paying the power bill do qualify for a subsidy; the same subsidy that’s available to all residents in the territory. For a rebate of that nature, if the committee felt strong enough for the government overall to look at establishing something like that, we would look at it. But under the review that is happening, it’s around the existing structure, the rates, what’s driving those rates, and the cost to go up and look at that side of the equation. We have other programs out there. As the...

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I have to apologize. I didn’t catch that last question.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I agree with the Member; it is a significant move that we are undertaking as a government to go back to somewhat of a way of doing business that was done prior, where we have human resource service centres. It is very different though from what was known previously as the Department of Personnel. The human resource service centres are a way of pooling our staff and bringing them together so that, one, we can be more coordinated in how we deliver the program, ensuring that all departments are following and have the same understanding of the rules that we work with. I...

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, the work that’s undergoing within the review of the Power Subsidy Program is one around the existing rate structure, what’s driving the costs. So right now it is not identified to look at the rate structure itself as that is not within our purview as the Financial Management Board Secretariat. The power rate structure itself falls under the Public Utilities Board. So our work is around the existing program, what’s driving the cost, what levels of support there should be, should there be changes, things of that nature. So it will be around the existing...

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, the Member is right; there is going to be an impact. A settlement will be reached. What that settlement means, we are not sure of yet today. Both sides have their positions initially, but, for example, a one percent increase in an agreement will equal to about $3.5 million dollars.

There is an impact and, yes, it will impact on all services and so on when we look at our fiscal picture. That is why it is important that we build a sound fiscal strategy as we go forward. Thank you.

Thank you, Madam Chair. We, I guess, can say that we’re probably not on the top end when you look at the industry itself and the changes in programming that are happening. Although, we’ve made the switch to PeopleSoft and that version, it’s quite a large program and it is quite able to handle the government information we need. We have, as well, highlighted in my opening comments work that we are beginning to do with our financial information system. That’s the next big piece of work that we’ll have to do and invest in as a government to ensure that we can continue to meet the requirements...

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. It would be our wish to have one concluded before the existing one expires. It expires at the end of March, but, if required, we will continue on and hopefully get a settlement in the spring. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, the Member is correct in what we need to do with the government. It is our duty to ensure that the money that we are spending on behalf of the residents of the Northwest Territories is spent in an effective and efficient manner.

What we are doing here, as I see it, of the human resource service centres, is to put a more coordinated approach in. Once we have the mechanics of this done right and have the policies to make sure that we are doing the job that we need to and have to do, once we have that in place, then, yes, it would be much easier to focus...

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, the prior year costs -- that's for 2004-05 -- $183,000, that's the business plan look at what we're going to need. For 2005-06, $500,000 is the system selection. We're going to have to make a decision at that point what system we're actually going to go with. So for 2006-07 and 2007-08, these are estimates that we feel are in the ballpark of where we're going to get and need. But until we actually make the 2005-06 system selection, we're going to be in the area of ballparking. Thank you.

Thank you, Madam Chair. To my right is the secretary to the FMB, Mr. Lew Voytilla, and to my left is Mr. Rob Taggart, director of policy and finance.