Debates of August 15, 2007 (day 10)

Perhaps if we had a plain Jane program with a plain Jane Minister running his department, we would work a little better. Anyway, Mr. Speaker, with respect to the Minister’s statement today, one of the problems that are still causing a great deal of strife for departments and for managers is the Absence Management module has now been shut off. This is summer holidays. This is when people wanted to input leave requests. This is when managers wanted to approve leave requests. This is when people needed to know what their leave totals were. If there was ever a time that we needed this information, it was now, but, as a solution -- temporary, I am sure -- the Absence Management module has been turned off for the foreseeable future. I would like to ask the Minister how is the leave for employees being managed if not through this software? Thank you.

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. The honourable Minister of Human Resources, Mr. Dent.

Return To Question 123-15(6): GNWT Human Resources Management System

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Absence Management was a brand new module that we have not used in the past. So when we turn that off, then leave is being handled in the same way that it has been up until the new software was installed. So it is the same process as was used prior to July 3. Thank you.

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

Supplementary To Question 123-15(6): GNWT Human Resources Management System

I would like the Minister to assure us, and I don’t know what I can really stake on that assurance because I stood in this House and told the Minister that we had a problem about this previously. He categorically denied that that problem existed. He subsequently found out it did exist and now I am asking for those assurances again anyway. I would like to ask the Minister what assurances can he provide to us that now, going forward, we have a system that works and is not going to see managers and staff spending inordinate amounts of time trying to sort this out? Is he confident now today that we have a system in place that is functioning properly? Thank you.

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. Mr. Dent.

Further Return To Question 123-15(6): GNWT Human Resources Management System

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am not confident that we have that system in place today, but I am confident that, with the assistance of the software manufacturer, who now has a representative here in Yellowknife working with us, that we will get to that very quickly.

As I said, we managed to get the last pay out without any significant issue and I am confident that that demonstrates that we are on the road to getting there. Whether or not we will ever be able to implement the Absence Management module, I don’t know. We were hoping to, because it would improve the functionality of the system; but even if we can’t, the system would have the same level of functionality that it had prior to July 3rd when we tried to bring that module on line.

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

Supplementary To Question 123-15(6): GNWT Human Resources Management System

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I have to assume that the Government of the Northwest Territories is a pretty sophisticated client and we have spent, as I said, a very large amount of money on ensuring that we have a modern and efficient system in place. I would like to know what is the Minister doing to protect the financial interests of this government with respect to the purchase of this and all of the subsequent costs that have occurred by its failure to function properly? What is this Minister doing to, I suppose even assess what those costs are, and to protect this government from further expenditure? Thank you.

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. Mr. Dent.

Further Return To Question 123-15(6): GNWT Human Resources Management System

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We have a significant dollar figure and outstanding invoices to the contractor who was to deliver the system in a working state to us and we are in the process of ensuring that we are satisfied that we have a working system before we would even consider paying those invoices. We are also tracking our extra costs. So we think that we have some protection and we will be working to ensure that we do our best to make sure that we are delivered a system for the price we were told we would get it for and protect the taxpayers. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Final supplementary, Mrs. Groenewegen.

Supplementary To Question 123-15(6): GNWT Human Resources Management System

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I realize this is fairly late in the life of this government, but I would like to ask the Minister if he could undertake…I mean he will still be the Minister until a new Minister is sworn in. I would like to definitely come up with some kind of report that would put in chronological order where we went wrong, to avoid something like this happening again. It’s fine to keep saying, well, this is a problem, this is a problem, this is a problem. I would like to see some kind of a constructive debrief report come out of all this activity that would be useful, hopefully, as we go forward in the future. Thank you.

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. Mr. Dent.

Further Return To Question 123-15(6): GNWT Human Resources Management System

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d be pleased to ensure that we do that kind of report and I will share that with the Members opposite. I’d also be pleased to ensure a regular report through the life of this Assembly to Members on progress in implementing the new system. I can tell you that the one piece of advice I will give the new government is don’t customize software.

---Laughter