Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I was going to suggest that maybe we had a job shadowing opportunity for Mr. Bromley with a strategic analyst, but through you I’ll ask Mr. Warren to answer Bureau of Statistics question.
Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Mr. Warren.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Yes, we definitely do a regular evaluation of what are the appropriate indicators to look at. One of the things that the stats bureau has gotten more engaged in, is meeting with the various committees to help provide the input ahead of time rather than after the fact. So rather than trying to find the statistics to support the decisions after the fact, to try and use those statistics to help influence the informed decisions beforehand. So, for instance, a number of the stats bureau staff do sit on committees such as the Anti-Poverty Strategy Committee and Mental Health Addictions Committee and stuff like that. It is a regular updating of information.
Thank you, Mr. Warren. Mr. Bromley.
Just one further clarification there. Does that include an updating of what we measure or is it just the updating of information relating to what we’re already measuring?
Yes, absolutely. I mean, reviewing what the appropriate indicators are is the first step, and then trying to make sure that the available data is there to support those indicators is important, yes.
Thank you again for that information. Just moving on to the program review office, I think it’s been awhile since we’ve heard anything new, although we have had updates from the program review office. I assume they have been working on other things recently. I don’t know. Would it be possible to say what those things are or will be hearing about that soon? Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Bromley. For that we’ll go to Ms. Ballantyne.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. Yes, the analysts in program review have also been busy. They’ve been busy supporting these committees that have been established in addition to the new initiatives, so they’re working jointly with their colleagues in strategic planning and in the Bureau of Statistics to provide that support, not only to the committees of Cabinet, the new initiative committees, but also to a couple of the deputy committees. For example, as we’re looking at the decentralization exercise, we have access to those analysts to help us with information gathering and analysis as well, so they’re providing a very important support role. As specific projects are identified for them to work, we will have to figure out how we keep all of that going while they take on some additional projects, but in the meantime, they are more than busy. Thank you.
It must be wonderful to have all these resource people. We’ve just started here and we’re up to quite a few people. I wonder if there’s been any consideration to providing the same level of support, or even maybe a tenth of that, for this side of the House for our committee staff, who are certainly hardworking people and haven’t changed in numbers, to my knowledge, for quite some time.
Thank you, Mr. Bromley. Premier McLeod.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. Certainly, we will put in a good word to the Board of Management. I think it’s very important to have good information to help make good decisions. We’d be happy to share our information with the committee so that they get the benefit of all the information the government has. Thank you.
I appreciate the Premier’s commitment there, and I’d love to be copied on the letter to the Board of Management. I hope to see that very soon.
In terms of the program evaluation, I think that is an important role. We have been talking about that in committees and I think, actually, we probably picked that up not only from our own observations but from the repeated calls from the Auditor General’s office for those sorts of activities. That is a very valid role, and I assume that that’s part of the work that they’re doing for these various committees of Cabinet and so on.
I wonder if I can get any more detail on the red tape. What’s the direction on the red tape that’s being asked to be reduced? Just to help me understand what’s happening on that front. Thank you.
This is something that has been a priority of this government. We work very closely with the Canadian Association of Small Businesses that see red tape as a hindrance to making progress, so we are working through our Refocusing Government Committee of Cabinet. Mr. Chair, I’d like to ask the chair of that committee to provide further information. I’d ask the Minister of Finance to provide more detail. Thank you.
Thank you, Premier McLeod. We’ll continue this with the Minister of Finance, Mr. Miltenberger.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. The red tape initiative is going to have two focuses. One focus is going to be, of course, internal within government, and to look for those types of improvements that will speed up processes, in terms of paper, steps required, things that maybe haven’t been reviewed in many years. The one where we think there’s an opportunity to do good work is, as the Premier indicated, we’ve consistently been ranked very low by the Canadian Federation of Independent Businesses, for example, in terms of the red tape. We think some of that is tied into the federal government, but we want to work with independent business folks, we want to work with the chambers, communities to get some very specific feedback on what and where they see the blocks, the red tape that everybody complains about when dealing with government. We intend to move forward here as we’re through this budget process and we get geared up for the rest of this fiscal year to start that process. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Committee, page 2-21, Executive, activity summary. Mr. Bromley.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. I appreciate your patience. One last one just to cap that off. I know Ms. Bisaro, I think, asked about this, but will we… Let me rephrase that. I’m sure that committee will have an early opportunity for input on the terms of reference for looking into the red tape aspect. Could I just get that confirmed? Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Bromley. Premier McLeod.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. Yes, through our protocol that we’re working out with the committees, we definitely will make sure that happens. Thank you.
Thank you, Premier McLeod. Page 2-21, Executive, activity summary, executive operations, operations expenditure summary, $6.756 million. Does committee agree?
Agreed.
Page 2-22, Executive, activity summary, executive operations, grants and contributions, grants, total grants $350,000. Contributions, total grants and contributions, $350,000. Committee agree?
Agreed.
Page 2-23, Executive, information item, executive operations, active positions. Any questions? Being none, page 2-25, Executive, activity summary, Cabinet support, operations expenditure summary, $3.156 million. Does committee agree?
Agreed.
Page 2-26. Mr. Bromley.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. I noticed the Native Women’s Association grant-in-kind took a bit of a hit there, a 70 percent hit or whatever. Also, the Native Women’s Association funding has increased, not quite as much. Can I just get an idea about what’s transpiring there? Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Bromley. Premier McLeod.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. The Native Women’s Association is moving and so the money is moved from a contribution to a grant, I believe. It’s the same dollar amount; it’s just how it’s broken out. Thank you.
Page 2-26, Executive, activity summary, Cabinet support, grants and contributions, grants, total grants, $92,000. Contributions, total contributions, $731,000. Total grants and contributions, $823,000. Does committee agree?
Agreed.
Page 2-27, Executive, information item, Cabinet support, Mr. Bromley.
Agreed.
Moving on. Page 2-28, Executive, information item. Mr. Bromley.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. I just wanted to ask: Indicators of what, basically, on this one? It’s apparently an interim expenditure, but quite high compared to the last time we spent money on this and we’re working on baseline indicators, but I have no idea what baseline indicators of what. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Bromley. Premier McLeod.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. This is work that we’re doing on behalf of the Inuvialuit. They asked our bureau to collect information for them and they’re paying us to do it. It’s information that we provide them. I’ll have to check whether it’s privileged information or not. If it’s not privileged, I can advise the Member of what kind of information we’re collecting for the Inuvialuit Regional Corporation.
I think I understand it now. I’m not sure that I need those details. I assume we’re out there collecting information and there are things that they need as a government that we’re handy at getting. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Bromley. Page 2-28, Executive, information item, worked performed on behalf of others. Any questions?
Agreed.
Thank you, committee. I’ll get committee to turn back to page 2-7, Executive, department summary, operations expenditure summary, $22.862 million.
Agreed.
Does committee agree that final consideration for Department of Executive is completed?
Agreed.
Thank you very much. I’d like to thank Mr. Warren, Ms. Ballantyne and the Premier. If I could get the Sergeant-at-Arms to escort the witnesses out of the Chamber. Thank you.
Welcome back, committee. We are on Aboriginal Affairs and Intergovernmental Relations with Premier McLeod. Premier McLeod, do you have any opening comments?
Yes, I do, Mr. Chair.
Agreed.
Please proceed, Mr. McLeod.
I am pleased to present the Department of Aboriginal Affairs and Intergovernmental Relations’ main estimates for the fiscal year 2012-2013.
The department’s main estimates propose an operations expenditures budget of $7.304 million, a decrease of 4.1 percent from the 2011-2012 Main Estimates. This decrease is due to the sunset of resources which were provided for hosting the 2011 Western Premiers’ Conference and the comprehensive mandate review project the department undertook.
No forced growth or investments have been requested for 2012-2013. Any new initiatives and ongoing work aimed at advancing the 17th Legislative Assembly priority of Building a Strong and Sustainable Future for Our Territory will be supported from within existing resources.
In addition to its day-to-day responsibilities, the department has led the development of a government-wide Aboriginal Government Engagement Strategy that will assist the Government of the Northwest Territories in fulfilling the 17th Legislative Assembly’s priority of renewing and strengthening relationships with Aboriginal governments. In doing so, the Government of the Northwest Territories and Aboriginal governments will be better positioned to advance their respective and shared priorities and serve the interests of all Northwest Territories residents.
The department is also leading the development of a Government of the Northwest Territories Federal Engagement Strategy which advances the vision of the 17th Legislative Assembly and the priorities identified in the Believing in People and Building on the Strengths of Northerners.
The department will also continue to focus on doing its part to building a solid foundation for intergovernmental relations by working effectively with its federal and Aboriginal partners to finalize land, resources and self-government agreements in all regions of the Northwest Territories.
Thank you for the opportunity to provide an overview of the department’s 2012-2013 main estimates. I look forward to discussing them with you in more detail. Thank you.
