I’d like to recognize Mr. Jim White. He’s the executive director of the Yellowknife Housing Authority here in Yellowknife and has come to a number of sessions. He does a good job down there.

Sorry to disappoint Mr. Abernethy, but I’d also like to recognize Mr. Blake Lyons as my constituent.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I only speak for myself in a context that's hypothetical, but I know that if I were the Minister of Human Resources, I would fight to get them on the books.

I would find it odd. I think we’re challenged, as Regular Members on this side, when we hear that you’re funding unestablished positions — in the formal context, when I call it that — and we’re not funding them properly. One could then beg to argue, “Well, if you can get by at a certain percentage short, why can’t everyone else get by?”

I just find it odd that these positions aren’t on the books, and I’d like to know...

I’ve been led to believe that a number of these positions have been left vacant for quite some time, as this is a funding principle or practice of this department. Could the Minister speak to that and offer some clarity?

I’ve been led to believe that a number of unfunded positions exist. Their titles may not be before me, if I could describe them as temporary positions, floating positions, you know, of that type of nature. I’ve been led to understand that some of the positions being kept unfilled; in other words, funded positions that are left vacant are being left on the books in order to fill those positions. Could the Minister provide some guidance and light on that observation?

Thank you, Mr. Menicoche.

Department of Finance

Members of the Standing Committee on Government Operations met with the Minister of Finance on April 1, 2008, to review the Draft Main Estimates for the Department of Finance.

Committee members made note that the department is proposing to spend $10,959,000 in operation expenses for the fiscal year of 2008–2009.

Committee members offer the following comments on issues arising out of the review of the 2008–2009 Draft Main Estimates.

Revenue Increase and Stabilization

Committee members found that in order to create long-term financial stability for the...

Mr. Speaker, can I get a commitment from the Minister to provide me and potentially other Members of this House a briefing as to what work has been done to date and what milestones are put in place, as well as what possible hurdles they foresee that are stopping us from implementing this program before the end of summer?

Mr. Speaker, in my Member’s statement today I talked about the foreign fieldworkers problem that we have here in Yellowknife — and not just here in Yellowknife but throughout the territory. It’s been noted many times over at length — and it’s probably exhausting to hear — how exciting and booming our economy is, but the fact is that businesses are suffering out here as well. We have a good economy, but we have businesses that can’t hire people to work there. We’ve had good examples throughout our city just alone.

When people have to close their business and close their doors because they can’t...

During the February session I spoke of the need for the government to establish a territorial nomination system to help speed up the immigration process for foreign skilled and semi-skilled workers who wish to become permanent residents of the Northwest Territories. Most provinces and the Yukon have an agreement with the Government of Canada that allows them to play a more direct role in selecting immigrants who wish to settle in their jurisdiction. Unfortunately, the response from the Minister indicated that the government did not see a role in facilitating the recruitment of skilled...

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...