Glen Abernethy

Thank you, Ms. Bisaro. Ms. Schofield.

So we’re back on page 6-11, Department of Justice, Infrastructure Acquisition Plan, Services to the Public, Tangible Capital Assets, Total Tangible Capital Assets: $170,000; Total Activity: $170,000; Total Department: $1.37 million. Ms. Bisaro.

Related to this area but not specifically the nurse educator mentors anymore: on the next page — it’s related to this page as well — it indicates that maximizing northern employment is being reduced by $800,000-ish. Can you tell me what kind of review or program evaluation was done to identify areas in which maximizing northern employment could be cut, given the strategic plan of this Legislature, which is to support youth and maximize northern employment?

That’s great. That helps me understand the nurse educator mentor with respect to the students, but it doesn’t answer the question even remotely with respect to the Community Health Nurse Development Program. My question was specific to the Community Health Nurse Development Program.

Have you explored new technologies that are available that might assist the staff increase their efficiencies and increase productivity?

Yesterday in some of your comments you mentioned the Hackett Report. My timing might be a little wrong on this — it might have been the previous fiscal year, not last fiscal year — but I believe that report cost about $400,000-plus, and I believe that you funded that from within. I’m curious. If you were in fact able to find that money from within, it may suggest that there might be some room or some additional saving possibilities within the department itself. I was wondering if you could talk a bit about where those dollars came from and whether or not that provides room for some additional...

Thank you. I think I see where Wendy’s going with this question. I want to try and re-ask the question in a slightly different way.

You’ve identified a competency officer to be eliminated. The budget hasn’t been approved. We’re in the process of reviewing the budget. Yet you’ve already taken the steps to eliminate it from your organization, which suggests to me that you have already cut the position. Given that the budget isn’t approved, why are you eliminating the position from your system already?

Thank you, Mr. Chair. You’re saying it is being reduced and the program is being cut even though the Premier did indicate in his statement that it was in fact being enhanced?

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Yesterday, when I first started talking about the Department of Human Resources, I pointed out that the Premier indicated that Community Health Nurse Development Program is going to be increasing. However, when I look at the Main Estimates for the Department of Human Resources, I see they’re eliminating one of their vacant nurse educator mentor positions. I’m wondering if they can help me understand how eliminating the positions that support the Community Health Nurse Development Program are in fact enhancing the Community Health Nurse Program, also keeping in mind that...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Looking at the Mains on page 2-63, I notice that in this section, Management and Recruitment Services, the only reductions that seem to have occurred are a small percentage in travel and a small percentage in materials and supplies, as well as the elimination of one vacant position.

Yesterday I talked about efficiencies and how large organizations with less staff are able to manage their human resources services — organizations with far more staff than the GNWT has. I was wondering if you could help me understand or go through the process you went through to identify...