Floyd Roland

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, this situation started back in January 2000. The Federation Franco TeNOise filed a lawsuit in the federal court claiming that the GNWT, the Legislative Assembly and the Official Languages Commissioner failed and continue to fail delivery of services in French at a level adequate to meet its alleged obligations under the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. So that is what started this process. To date, including what we have estimated for 2004-05, we are looking in the neighbourhood of just over $800,000. Thank you.

Thank you, Madam Chair. As we stated to committee Members, the training that's happening now is just for that reason, working and getting a good understanding of the process. That position will be moved back to Fort Simpson when the training period is over. Thank you.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Systems and communications, other expenses, $258,000; travel and transportation, $9,000; materials and supplies, $2,000; purchased services, $183,000; contract services, $63,000; fees and payments, $1,000; for a total of $258,000. Thank you.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Madam Chair, the function for POL in headquarters takes a number of avenues. One to start off with is working closely with the deputy minister in the area of planning, whether it's capital planning, technical resources, as well tying to the capital planning team when it comes to what should be done in the areas of where our tank farms are and tying with the expertise around the standards that do change from time to time. So a significant portion of that is working with the headquarters staff in preparing budgets and preparing time frames for replacement of our...

Thank you, Madam Chair. Can I get detail as to what page we are working from? Is it from the actual full department, or is it from the directorate that you are looking for that detail? Thank you.

Thank you, Madam Chair. The government, through its other work as Cabinet as a whole, can direct and gather that information. Each department would have information on its costs. There have been exercises done as well in the past on areas of potential savings and costs. So there has been work done in that area, and that information could be pulled together again to give the most current state in expenditures. Thank you.

Thank you, Madam Chair. At one time we were much more involved in a lot of the areas with other departments. Again, as stated, user pay/user saves. There were a lot of areas that were returned to departments and they could choose how to do it. This is one area where there is a fair bit of technical expertise developed, and it was felt that it would remain in house in one department instead of splitting it up, and departments not having the ability and the resources to go to sort of a multi-faceted team that has experience in a number of different kinds of facilities. So the technical...

Thank you, Madam Chair. To my right is the deputy minister, Bruce Rattray, and to my left is the director of petroleum product services, Mr. Mike Aumond.

Thank you, Madam Chair. The role Public Works and Services gets involved in is at the department level. When a client department, if it is Health and Social Services or Education, Culture and Employment become involved, we would work with them and provide the technical expertise in project management and design, and work with them to see what the requirements are in helping to establish the estimates that would be used and placed in the main estimates document as well. So there are a number of areas that we are involved with them, but it is mainly with departments and then as a contract is...

Thank you, Madam Chair. I am pleased to present the Department of Public Works and Services main estimates for the fiscal year 2004-05.

The estimates propose a department operations and maintenance budget for 2004-2005 of $44.6 million and a capital acquisition plan of $2.9 million. This is a one percent increase over the 2003-2004 main estimates.

These resources will be used to provide critical support services to departments and communities including:

Operations and maintenance of infrastructure;

Technical support in the provision of community drinking water;

Management of capital...