Shane Thompson

Thank you, Mr. Chair. In regards to the reporting, has the department gone to the federal government and said this is a hindrance, this is a challenge for the people within our communities? You know, the reporting is a challenge, and if that's stopping people from accessing funding that doesn't bode well for the people with disabilities. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. When are we going to find this information out, about half-time positions that are being moved? We have to look at the budget and we have to research to find this information? Because this is now two positions within your department that have been either deleted with reductions or transferred, and which is two positions in my riding. I'd like to get that clarified please. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Can the Minister explain how his budget was developed? I am sitting here looking. There are increases and decreases throughout this page here, and it doesn't seem to be any rhyme or reason, but I know that the department has done a good job of preparing it. I just need to understand how they did it. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Could the Minister explain how they get the information out? Is it a walk-in or do they actually go out and go and see the people, the clients, out there? Thank you, Mr. Chair.

I thank the Minister for that. However, I guess my question is: how come this information wasn't brought to our attention previously? One of the positions was cut; now this is the first time I'm seeing it and I'm seeing it in the business plans here. The information we're getting about cuts, are they only full-time positions? Is that the information, and that half-time positions are just showing up? Thank you, Mr. Chair.

I guess can the Minister, deputy minister, explain how long it took to implement the system, because when I look at the actuals, it's $1.146 million, and the revised budget for 2015-16 is $1.143 million, so it was a $3,000 reduction compared to the year before, but it is what the main estimate was: $747,000. It was almost a $400,000 increase. It concerns me that there was a revised budget, and they had revised estimates later on. Could they explain if it was a process this system is now done and it was over two years, or what is that contract services all about then? Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you. Just to clarify, this is the federal funding and is it dollar for dollar or is it 50/50? Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I notice that there's a reduction in another position at Dehcho. Please explain what position this was. Thank you.

Mr. Chair, I think I am a little ahead on the schedule. This is corporate management. I can look at the policy and I guess I will deal with the regional education authorities and stuff like that. Thanks, Mr. Minister, for that answer, and I have actually seen some of that work done in our region, so I thank the department for doing that and continue to support doing that. In regards to contract services, I noticed a huge decrease in the budget. What's the rationale for that? Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, upon returning to this session, I started preparing my reply to the Finance Minister's budget address. It has been an interesting process, to say the least. I have worked for the government for more than 23 years as a public servant and always wondered how the budget was developed, scratching my head and wondering how Ordinary MLAs could allow things to happen as they did. Now that I've been through the process, I still am scratching my head, but now I know the process a little bit better.

Mr. Speaker, I'll start with a bit of history. For me to understand...