Floyd Roland

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, the work that’s undergoing within the review of the Power Subsidy Program is one around the existing rate structure, what’s driving the costs. So right now it is not identified to look at the rate structure itself as that is not within our purview as the Financial Management Board Secretariat. The power rate structure itself falls under the Public Utilities Board. So our work is around the existing program, what’s driving the cost, what levels of support there should be, should there be changes, things of that nature. So it will be around the existing...

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, the Member is right; there is going to be an impact. A settlement will be reached. What that settlement means, we are not sure of yet today. Both sides have their positions initially, but, for example, a one percent increase in an agreement will equal to about $3.5 million dollars.

There is an impact and, yes, it will impact on all services and so on when we look at our fiscal picture. That is why it is important that we build a sound fiscal strategy as we go forward. Thank you.

Thank you, Madam Chair. We, I guess, can say that we’re probably not on the top end when you look at the industry itself and the changes in programming that are happening. Although, we’ve made the switch to PeopleSoft and that version, it’s quite a large program and it is quite able to handle the government information we need. We have, as well, highlighted in my opening comments work that we are beginning to do with our financial information system. That’s the next big piece of work that we’ll have to do and invest in as a government to ensure that we can continue to meet the requirements...

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. It would be our wish to have one concluded before the existing one expires. It expires at the end of March, but, if required, we will continue on and hopefully get a settlement in the spring. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, the Member is correct in what we need to do with the government. It is our duty to ensure that the money that we are spending on behalf of the residents of the Northwest Territories is spent in an effective and efficient manner.

What we are doing here, as I see it, of the human resource service centres, is to put a more coordinated approach in. Once we have the mechanics of this done right and have the policies to make sure that we are doing the job that we need to and have to do, once we have that in place, then, yes, it would be much easier to focus...

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, the prior year costs -- that's for 2004-05 -- $183,000, that's the business plan look at what we're going to need. For 2005-06, $500,000 is the system selection. We're going to have to make a decision at that point what system we're actually going to go with. So for 2006-07 and 2007-08, these are estimates that we feel are in the ballpark of where we're going to get and need. But until we actually make the 2005-06 system selection, we're going to be in the area of ballparking. Thank you.

Thank you, Madam Chair. To my right is the secretary to the FMB, Mr. Lew Voytilla, and to my left is Mr. Rob Taggart, director of policy and finance.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. My understanding is the process is moving along and things are moving at the normal pace, whether some may accept that or not. It is moving along and it’s a matter of scheduling the actual hearings. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, I guess as being a Member of the Legislative Assembly for as long as I have, the capital planning process has always drawn attention from Members of the Assembly about the selection process; what gets approved, what gets deferred, what project seems to move up on the order paper in a sense.

It has been recognized and there have been a couple of attempts to try to address those concerns. The real difficulty we have found around capital programs began in the mid-1990s when the government was faced with a huge deficit situation. Large reductions were made...

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, yes, we foresee this area changing. Right now it's recognizing the human resource services that we have existing. With the structure changing, it will grow accordingly and we'll have to recognize that as we go forward. Thank you.