Debates of March 9, 2005 (day 52)

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, with the development of the affirmative action policy in the early 1990s, there was an Affirmative Action Advisory Committee developed and tasked with the responsibility to provide direction and recommendations to the various departments for the implementation of the affirmative action policy. I have a question to the Minister responsible for the FMBS, Mr. Speaker. It is obvious that the committee is off to a slow start, Mr. Speaker. I just want to ask the Minister if he would entertain the idea of reinstating and revamping the Affirmative Action Advisory Committee. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Villeneuve. The honourable Minister responsible for the Financial Management Board Secretariat, Mr. Roland.

Return To Question 573-15(3): Affirmative Action Advisory Committee

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in a response to another question earlier this week regarding that committee, it has been quite some time since that committee has been in operation. We have started down a course for the Human Resource Service Centre modules that is going on. Approximately 140 employees have been affected by this change. We have been working with them through this. We want to get through that stage first. As I have committed to Members in this House, I will be coming forward with a plan in the fall around the affirmative action side and, at that point, will be willing to look at the idea of continuing on with that and getting something going. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Roland. Supplementary, Mr. Villeneuve.

Supplementary To Question 573-15(3): Affirmative Action Advisory Committee

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. With the human resource amalgamation and consolidation of human resource functions throughout the government, I don’t think there is a better time than now to reinstate or revamp the Affirmative Action Advisory Committee to provide some input into this whole amalgamation and consolidation of human resources. I will ask the Minister again, will he entertain the idea of revamping the advisory committee so that they can have some direct input into the human resource amalgamation model? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Villeneuve. Mr. Roland.

Further Return To Question 573-15(3): Affirmative Action Advisory Committee

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I am not willing to stop the process where we are now. We have started on this course. We’ve reviewed the information that has been provided. We have looked at the plans and we are proceeding down that road. We have, as I stated, 140 affected employees. Of that, 50 of them are aboriginal people who have had input into the work that is going on. Through this change, there are going to be some people who are not happy with the results of the changes and how things are proceeding. But at this point, I have no plans of stopping the process to get a committee going to review where we are today. We have done that work. We are moving forward. As I have committed to, we will be presenting some information to Members this fall with regard to some of the other policies that affect our human resources. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Roland. Supplementary, Mr. Villeneuve.

Supplementary To Question 573-15(3): Affirmative Action Advisory Committee

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I guess I wasn’t requesting putting a hold on any process with this human resource development. I know that there has been some aboriginal input by employees and non-government employees. If that input is not really being seriously considered, Mr. Speaker, then I don’t see any value in having people to provide input if it is not going to be seriously considered. I just want to maybe ask the Minister when this human resource amalgamation and consolidation planning committee was formed, and who comprises this committee, Mr. Speaker. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Villeneuve. Mr. Roland.

Further Return To Question 573-15(3): Affirmative Action Advisory Committee

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the issue of human resources in the government has been one that can be said to have been plaguing us for quite some time, since the changes that we had back in the mid-1990s when the Department of Personnel was done away with and each department then started doing their own human resource functions.

There have been some concerns about fairness to employees, following the policies within government, and Members of assemblies have raised the issue. A number of reports were done. As a government, we have looked at that. We have decided to move on that. I have looked at the plans. I have been informed of the process. I have brought that to my colleagues within FMB and decisions were made to move on that. We have started down that process and feel that, overall, it is a healthy and positive process and will end up being more positive for those that we serve, both within our own service and those that are applying for government jobs. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Roland. Final supplementary, Mr. Villeneuve.

Supplementary To Question 573-15(3): Affirmative Action Advisory Committee

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Let me just be simple here. Who is on this committee and who put this committee together? Was there any memo that went out to all government employees to see if they’re interested in being on the committee? How has all this come about? That hasn’t been answered yet, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Villeneuve. There are about three questions there. Mr. Roland, you can answer one or all three. Mr. Roland.

Further Return To Question 573-15(3): Affirmative Action Advisory Committee

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, there is no committee in place. What we did is once we came up with a plan and decided to put it in action, we started off with the corporate human resource service portion we had within Executive, moved it over to FMBS, and from there involved all of the staff who were involved with the delivery of corporate human resource services and started expanding out from there, putting a plan together and involving them. We met with just about every individual that is involved with human resource services and got some input into how things would flow, as well as how we would proceed. Once that first phase was done, we looked at the second phase and that’s where we are now; putting people into the matching positions and looking at filling those positions. Beyond that we’ll be going into the actual office makeup and the changes that will need to happen in the regions. Thank you.