I don’t agree with the Member. We worked with the standing committees. We agreed on a discussion paper. We agreed on the types of questions to be asked. There was ample opportunity for input at the front end and it’s not very helpful to come back at the back end when we’re going out to consultation. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Final supplementary, Mr. Hawkins.
Mr. Speaker, I’m only asking these questions because it seems it’s being asked in the public. I appreciate the frustration the Minister may be having, but the fact is there are people out there concerned that it doesn’t have a mandate and there’s no blueprint on how they converge. Mr. Speaker, I’ve heard answers from the Premier today and he seems to assume they will converge sometime in the fall, if they do. I’d like to know, without a mandate and terms of reference, how do we stay on track, how do we stay focused, how does it make sense and how do we know where we’re going without that type of focus? Thank you.
If the Member is hearing these concerns from his constituents, then there will be opportunity for them to raise those concerns. As the Premier has indicated, he will be coming forward with terms of reference and mandates for the other two reviews which the Member would have input into. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. McLeod. The honourable Member for Sahtu, Mr. Yakeleya.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to ask questions, again, to the Minister of the Ministerial Energy Coordinating Committee in terms of the Minister has indicated that by June we should have some indication as to what the people in the Northwest Territories are saying in terms of the consultations that are going to take place. From June, can the Minister outline in terms of within the life of this Assembly, what the possibility is that can we expect people who want lower rates and want to look at the electricity regulations, what brought forward can we see as a government in terms of making some changes in our communities in terms of the high cost of energy?
Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. The honourable lead Minister on the Energy Coordinating Committee, Mr. Bob McLeod.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Member is asking me to put forward some hypothetical situations and we’ve just set up a panel to go out and ask people those very questions, so I’d wait until we have a report before I speculate on the possibilities of changing rates. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, I didn’t mean to put the Minister in the position of speculating, but clearly, Mr. Speaker, when the panel comes together in June, the panel will have some very concrete ideas as to where we could go in terms of what does it take to maybe implement a two-rate hydro zone or electric diesel zone in terms of rates on our electricity. Certainly we went through the Public Utilities Board for the general rate application process. So there are some things we could do right away in terms of reducing the cost of energy in our communities. Again, I am asking for some, maybe a broader outline in terms of the support for the panel in terms of the direction they may receive from the communities.
Mr. Speaker, the Member can be assured that the fundamental aspect of the review is to try to find ways to reduce costs and to provide cheaper energy to people in the communities. There are a number of different ways that it can be done. I will wait until the committee has had a chance to do its work and make its recommendations. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Short supplementary, Mr. Yakeleya.
Thank you. Mr. Speaker, I, too, would surely like to see the report in terms of the recommendations from the panel. Mr. Speaker, regarding the recommendations, I am hearing lots in the communities about implementing a one-rate zone down the Mackenzie Valley. There are some issues there.
Mr. Speaker, in terms of the implementation on a one-rate zone, it was felt very strongly in the Mackenzie Valley. I guess what I am asking is, if that is the panel’s conclusion, what type of work needs to be done in terms of having this type of decision be implemented within the life of this government. I am asking the Minister in terms of the swiftness of this panel to implement, for example, a one-rate zone in the Mackenzie Valley. Thank you.
I wouldn’t want to focus on just one possibility because we are asking the panel to look at all possibilities and whatever the panel comes back with, there will be opportunity for good discussion before any final decisions are made. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, I have a return to Written Question 3-16(3) asked by Mr. Abernethy on February 9, 2009, to the Honourable Floyd Roland, the Premier, regarding the GNWT employee performance bonuses. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
There are three separate policies governing the awarding of performance pay to executive managers, senior managers and excluded employees.
Individuals who are employed through executive manager contracts include deputy ministers and other senior heads of departments and agencies. Provisions for performance pay are included in the executive manager contract. There are no automatic performance increases for these individuals. Based on outstanding job performance and contribution to department and government objectives, these individuals may be awarded up to 15 percent of their salary in performance pay. This can be paid as a one-time bonus, a salary increment or a combination of the two. Performance pay for senior managers is governed by the Senior Managers’ Handbook, which contains terms and conditions of employment approved by the Financial Management Board.
Based on job performance and achievement of specific objectives, senior managers may be awarded up to 8 percent of their salary in performance pay. This can be paid as a one-time bonus, a salary increment, or a combination of the two.
Performance pay for excluded employees is governed by the Excluded Employees’ Handbook. Based on exceptional performance, excluded employees can receive two pay increments for outstanding performance, or a bonus of 5 percent if they are at the top of their pay grid.
Performance pay totals for the 2007-2008 fiscal year are as follows:
$161,262.27 was paid out to 68 percent of the executive managers who were eligible for performance pay;
$738,863.00 was paid out to 82 percent of the senior managers who were eligible for performance pay; and,
$349,182.00 was paid out to 18 percent of excluded employees who were eligible for performance pay.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to table a response to Petition 5-16(3) provided by the Honourable Floyd Roland, Minister responsible for the NWT Power Corporation, in response to a petition given by Mr. Kevin Menicoche on February 9, 2009. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Clerk. Item 15, notices of motion. Item 16, notices of motion for first reading of bills. Item 17, motions. Item 18, first reading of bills. Item 19, second reading of bills. Item 20, consideration in Committee of the Whole of bills and other matters: Tabled Document 7-16(3), Ministerial Benefits Policy; Tabled Document 11-16(3), Northwest Territories Main Estimates 2009-2010; Tabled Document 17-16(3), Supplementary Appropriation No. 3, 2008-2009; Committee Report 2-16(3), Standing Committee on Rules and Procedures Report on Matters Referred to the Committee; Bill 1, An Act to Amend the Historical Resources Act; Bill 3, International Interest in Mobile Aircraft Equipment Act; Bill 4, Public Library Act; Bill 5, Professional Corporations Act; and Bill 7, An Act to Amend the Student Financial Assistance Act.
Thank you. I would like to call Committee of the Whole to order. We were considering Tabled Document 7-16(3), Tabled Document 11-16(3), Tabled Document 17-16(3), Committee Report 2-16(3), Bills 1, 3, 4, 5 and 7. What is the wish of the committee? Mr. Beaulieu.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The committee wishes to proceed with, continue with the main estimates review of Transportation and then to Tabled Document 17-16(3), Supplementary Appropriation No. 3, 2008-2009, and if there is any time left after that, we would like to get into Municipal and Community Affairs. Thank you.
Thank you. Is committee agreed?
Agreed.
Agreed. We will take a short break and then we’ll come back with the Department of Transportation.
---SHORT RECESS
I’d like to call Committee of the Whole Back to order. We are reviewing the Department of Transportation. We are on page 11-17. Before we begin, does the Minister have witnesses he’d like to bring into the Chamber?
Yes, I do, Mr. Chairman.
Sergeant-at-Arms, if I could please get you to escort the witnesses into the Chamber. Oops, sorry. Does committee agree?
Agreed.
Agreed. Now could I get the Sergeant-at-Arms to escort the witnesses into the Chamber.
Thank you. Mr. Minister, could I get you to introduce your witnesses to the committee. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, with me today I have the deputy minister of Transportation, Mr. Russell Neudorf, and also the assistant deputy minister, Mr. Daniel Auger.
Thank you, Mr. Minister. We left off, last time we were on page 11-17, activity summary, airports. Mr. Krutko.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. I would just like an update from the Minister. What is the status of the airport in Fort McPherson and also the airport for Tsiigehtchic?
Thank you, Mr. Krutko. Mr. Neudorf.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. The airport in Fort McPherson is continuing to operate as it always has. We do have a capital project to extend the runway, that would have some planning dollars, engineering dollars in ’09-10 and then construction over the next two fiscal years after that, so ‘10-11 and ‘11-12. We do not have an airport in Tsiigehtchic. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Mr. Neudorf. Mr. Krutko.
The reason I asked the question is that’s been a request from the community for some time. I know they’ve got the helicopter pad that they were eventually looking at an airport of some sort. So I know there has been work done in that area, so I would just like to know is that something that’s still considered for future planning for the community of Tsiigehtchic.
Thank you, Mr. Krutko. Minister McLeod.
Mr. Chairman, we do not have that project in this year’s capital plans.
Are there any plans to do any possible extension on the airport in Aklavik?
Mr. Chairman, the deputy informs me there was a recent assessment of the Aklavik Airport on the runway and the indicators are that it’s sufficient to meet the needs. Thank you.
Yeah, just with regard to the federal legislation, because of the change in the legislation where it requires a certain length of airport, I am wondering if that airport falls within that required length or does it have to be extended under the new federal regulations where you operate certain types of aircraft on these airports in the communities. They have to be a certain length for certain types of aircraft. I would just like to know does that meet that specific federal standard. That’s why I asked the question if it has to be extended, because I believe it’s only 2,500 feet.
Mr. Chair, the new regulations that will come into force in 2010 require that the different aircraft, different sizes, be able to demonstrate that they are able to land and take off in certain runway lengths. That does not require us to extend our airports. We did a runway assessment and the Aklavik runway is at 3,000 feet and we continue to feel this is sufficient.
Thank you, Minister McLeod. The next on my list is Mr. Beaulieu.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Just a quick question on airports as well. I was wondering if the department have any plans for an extension and chipsealing of the airstrip in Lutselk’e.
Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu. Minister Michael McLeod.
Mr. Chairman, the answer to that is no, we don’t have any plans at this point to chipseal the airport.
I guess I think that‘s the only communications or transportation link into Lutselk’e. They don’t get a winter road or all-season road. They get in materials and other things by barge once a year or twice a year, depending on what they’re bringing into Lutselk’e. Airports are very important. They get two or three flights a day into Lutselk’e. I think if we’re going to try to get communities to be on their own as much as possible in the future where we’re trying to increase the market viability of communities, I think it’s essential that the department look at the only real transportation link into Lutselk’e and somewhere in the future plan to chipseal and extend the length of that airstrip.
