Mr. Speaker, in the wisdom of this government, they developed a unit called shared services for financial transactions and procurement in the wake of implementing the new financial system.
When the government announced this initiative, they said it would be a positive benefit that would flow from this model such as the department being able to focus on core business and people will be able to receive high quality and timely services. They also said employees will benefit from a shared service organization by clearly having the career progression path developed for them and they can enjoy special new skills. Employees’ contributions are critical to the success of the services, and the employees will be trained to match these needs for the future.
But instead, I’m hearing from places like Yellowknife and certainly Fort Simpson where several dozen of these real employee-shared services are being affected and the latest reorganization out the door. Many of them are only being given a few hours to sometimes make life-altering decisions on where they will go by this government. Certainly their being affected really hurts them very deeply.
Approximately half of these, who have a quarter century of dedicated service in this government, were notified in writing three weeks before Christmas. I’d like to know who that Grinch was and talk to them. They were told that this government, even though you have a quarter century of dedication to the government, will only search for possibilities for you for eight weeks. Boy, is that disheartening. After 10, 20 or 25 years of dedication, it’s all boiled down to an eight-week search to try to find a placement for you.
A few weeks ago we heard the words from the mouth of the Finance Minister that this government is looking for 571 positions. They’re actively searching. Well, my goodness, here they are. Look no further. However, most of these people were given grim, if not pathetic, choices or options and they’re scrambling to decide how to put their life together and save some dignity. Some have been given all this on short notice, then others were told that they have short-term training, but of course, there’s no promise of a job.
The truth is this is a terrible way of treating people who have many decades of service to this government and to the territory as a whole. Many employees would describe it as they now have carpet burns because it was pulled out from under them so quickly.
I want to finish by pointing out some of the words highlighted to me in a particular constituent’s own voice. They said it feels like they’ve been tossed out of a plane without a parachute, but told to flap their arms. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. Member for Frame Lake, Ms. Bisaro.
