I’d like to know how much involvement in human resource planning the Department of Human Resources has. I don’t see a human resource plan as something that has some statistics in it and some intentions. I see a human resource plan as something that’s comprehensive, that looks at career development, internal careers — looking at exactly what types of human resources will be needed to continue operations and so on — a comprehensive human resource plan. The support for human resource planning….

Maybe I should I get the Minister to answer that. How much involvement is in human resource planning?...

Mr. Chair, a lot of my concerns with HR are in the area of supporting and monitoring. Initially, when the Department of HR was created, the worked that was being done I assumed was going to be work that was going to provide monitoring and support to the small HR units that were in each department. But as it turns out, we've created a fairly substantial Human Resource division, as indicated in the Mains, of 167 employees, which is down from last year.

In some of my questioning that the Minister could be prepared for, I would like to talk about some of the self-service issues surrounding the self...

Just a question for the Premier on whether or not the $17 million benefit as a result of resource revenue sharing is a full increase of what we get now or if that’s what we’re going to get — period.

Can the Premier tell us: what is the position of this current government with respect to resource revenue sharing?

They continue to hear of huge profits the diamond mines are making year after year, yet the communities, our ultimate residents, are not seeing the real noticeable benefits from revenue generated by these diamond mines. With the proposed budget cuts that could impact all of us, why are we not maximizing our participation in this resource revenue agreement?

Later today I will have a follow-up statement and some questions for the Premier.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have a written question for the Minister of Environment and Natural Resources. What is the status of the Multi-Project Environmental Monitoring Agency (MPEMA)? Is it up and running or non-existent?

Can the Premier tell us what impacts resource revenue sharing could have on our budget and our current transfer payment system?

Earlier this afternoon I spoke about the impact that the diamond mines have on the Tu Nedhe riding in relation to the diamond industry and the resource revenue arrangements for the NWT. I’d like to ask the Premier if he would tell us what discussions his government has had with the federal government regarding resource revenue sharing.

Mr. Speaker, today I would like to talk about how the diamond industry has impacted the Tu Nedhe communities. I’m not sure if everyone knows, but the BHP, Diavik and De Beers diamond mines are within the Tu Nedhe riding.

October of this year will mark the tenth year that BHP has been operating, and this past January Diavik Diamond Mine has been in operation for five years. This month it will be four years that De Beers’ Snap Lake project has been operating.

The diamond mine presence has both positive and negative impacts for Tu Nedhe. Economically the diamond industries have increased employment...

Mr. Speaker, can the Minister confirm whether the boards and agencies for which Human Resources is responsible for providing service get the same response and attention as the regular departments do?