Debates of October 18, 2005 (day 12)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my questions today are to the Minister of the Housing Corporation, the Honourable David Krutko. I will start, Mr. Speaker, by saying that I realize that this empire that has developed over the years of the NWT Housing Corporation did not all occur on this Minister’s watch, and he has fairly recently taken responsibility for this. However, he is now the point man for the NWT Housing Corporation, and the buck stops with him. So that’s why I direct my questions to him. I would like to talk first about the cost of operating the headquarters of the NWT Housing Corporation. We know that the capital dollars and operational dollars for housing needs in the North are limited. I, obviously, am of the opinion that there are too many people. How many people are employed in the headquarters of the NWT Housing Corporation? Thank you.

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. The honourable Minister of the NWT Housing Corporation, Mr. Krutko.

Return To Question 144-15(4): Operational Costs Of The NWT Housing Corporation

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, with regard to the headquarters and the operation of the Housing Corporation, roughly the total budget is in the range of seven percent, which is a lot lower than other departments. A majority of our expenses are spent in the communities, and we have a district staff roughly in the range of five percent of the budget. So between the district offices and the headquarters office, you’re looking at just a little over 10 percent, which, compared to other departments, is very low. I think that you have to realize that almost 85 percent of our budget is expended in our communities to run the operations of providing housing in communities and elsewhere in the North. I’d just like to point that out to the Member, Mr. Speaker. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. Supplementary, Mrs. Groenewegen.

Supplementary To Question 144-15(4): Operational Costs Of The NWT Housing Corporation

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Seven percent in headquarters and five percent in the district offices; just doing the math, not to challenge the Minister, but that is 12 percent not 10 percent. This is a capital-intensive corporation. The money should be going to capital. There are not a lot of operations issues. Of course, might I also say I have no issue with the staff located in the districts. I’m talking about the staff in headquarters, and I’d like to know the number. Thank you.

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. Mr. Krutko.

Further Return To Question 144-15(4): Operational Costs Of The NWT Housing Corporation

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, at this time, I don’t have that detail here, but I’d like to offer that to the Member. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. Supplementary, Mrs. Groenewegen.

Supplementary To Question 144-15(4): Operational Costs Of The NWT Housing Corporation

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, recently $30 million of the Housing Corporation money has been transferred to ECE. Was there a reduction in the staff numbers in headquarters as a result of that transfer? Thank you.

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. Mr. Krutko.

Further Return To Question 144-15(4): Operational Costs Of The NWT Housing Corporation

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, yes, we have reduced in the area of, as we all know, the human resources section. That has now been centralized, so there has been a decline in the human resources positions of the department due to the centralization throughout government departments. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. Supplementary, Mrs. Groenewegen.

Supplementary To Question 144-15(4): Operational Costs Of The NWT Housing Corporation

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the consolidation of the human resources function is something that has happened government-wide. Every department gave up human resources people. Besides the human resources people, has there been any reduction in the staff at headquarters as a result of this transfer of money to ECE and the recent contracting out by the Housing Corporation? Thank you.

---Applause

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. Mr. Krutko.

Further Return To Question 144-15(4): Operational Costs Of The NWT Housing Corporation

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, there has been no contracting out. All the work has been done in house with the resources we do have. Thank you.