Robert Hawkins

It’s really nice to hear all possible options are being moved forward to fight this issue, because this is the same Minister it had taken over eight weeks to find out how much that file is. It was a simple question at the time, which was how much money is outstanding to the government.

Mr. Speaker, the Finance Minister has talked many times to the fact that we’re broke or our revenues aren’t keeping up to pace with our expenditures. I would think that the Minister would be phoning DIAND every day. Mr. Speaker, can the Minister tell this House: when was the last time this issue was brought up...

Mr. Chairman, if I were to ask the Human Resource Minister, and I probably will…. Let’s assume this is an ask. Does the Human Resource Minister have any grasp on how many unfunded positions there are out there in the government and what it’s costing the government?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In my Member’s statement today I talked about the fact that DIAND owes this government approximately $100 million. That money could go a long way to fulfilling some of the needs that our Finance Minister’s often described, as our expenditures are certainly…. We’re not able to keep pace with them.

This is a problem that goes to the highest office of this Assembly. And I’d prefer it not be pawned off to a particular Minister.

I’d like to know what the deputy minister, who would be well-informed on this file, is doing to help play a role and to help negotiate these dollars...

I find it interesting that the Minister has, on a number of occasions, highlighted the fact that not just his department but a number of departments don’t fund positions at 100 per cent. That may be an extremely clever accounting process. I recognize that — I think he said earlier — we have a 14.2 per cent turnover. That may be the theoretic approach to not implementing full salary in the department, knowing very well that they’ll never use it. But yet, it does bring in the question about whether that’s a proper formula process.

I know the clock’s ticking now, so I’m going to squeeze two...

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. My last question for the Minister at this time is: would he provide the details of every single position that's in Human Resources so that we have it amply clear on how they're funded? The Minister did note that some positions are funded, I would assume, properly, which is at the normal 100 per cent, but he cited that there seem to be positions not funded properly.

As well, could he provide the detail as to every single position, whether they're term, a ghost position, whether they're real or not real? I want to make sure all these positions are accounted for properly...

Mr. Chairman, following this example and formula I would say it’s obvious that Human Resources must be the shining example of government if they’re able to fund a heck of a lot fewer positions than they have. Maybe other departments need to take note of this formula, for some odd reason, because if you can be funded for 167 but still employ 180, there seems to be something really interesting going on. I’d like to know why all 180 aren’t on the books, first of all.

Secondly, I’ve looked over a list of filled and vacant positions, and I was sure I saw more vacancies than 15, as the Minister had...

My first question in this area, just to be clear, is: we have 167 positions, as cited by the Minister, but it sounds like we’re actually running 180 positions, if I understood that. How is he funding the over-and-above 167 positions that get us to the 180 number? Just to be clear, that’s approximately 13 positions.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. My question is for the Minister of Human Resources. It’s linked back to his opening remarks, but it’s only a reference to put relevance around it, because I want the exact wording when I ask my question.

The Department of Human Resources’ Main Estimates includes funding for 167 positions. Mr. Chairman, I need to reference that, because it’s clear as to how many positions they fund. For my clarity, or maybe the Assembly’s clarity, how many positions are there in total that are on the books or not on the books? How many funded positions are there in total within the...

Mr. Speaker, this is a very important issue to me, as the Minister knows. This is the second time I’ve raised this, and I want to stress this isn’t just important to me; it’s important to many employers in our city, as well as to our territory. I would ask the Minister that he take the commitment to communicate to the NWT Chamber of Commerce, as well as the Yellowknife Chamber of Commerce, about his intention to move forward on this initiative. Therefore, if they want any feedback or concern, or at least just be included in the loop on this possible step by this department, I would encourage...

Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the answer from the Minister, and I’m certainly glad to hear that the Yukon situation is now on our radar. I’m going to go in this direction with this problem, which is timing. Timing is an issue. I can speak of one business in particular that is closing, because they just cannot continue to work seven days a week without being able to find staff to work at their shop anymore. So timing is the issue.

Now that the Minister is aware of a possible framework program out there, will the Minister commit to working on this problem to see if we can get a person directed to...