Kate Reid

Thank you, Madam Chair. And kind of continuing along those lines but on a different line item, the management board secretariat itself is seeing a reduction, and I believe it may be due to a position reduction. But can the Minister please confirm.

Yeah, thank you, Madam Chair. And, you know, I do appreciate the push and pull that I have had with the Minister of Finance on this prior to my even being an MLA. I do know that she genuinely cares about the public service and I do want to, you know, remark on that publicly because it's really refreshing to see, honestly. What I would suggest is more initiatives where you're seeking employee input. Like, the 1800, 1900 suggestions I think that you got is a good place to start. And, really, you know, having the direction that you're giving filtering down through to line positions that are...

Thank you, Madam Chair. Madam Chair, in the department's business plans on page 97 I'll give the Minister and staff, to flip to that, a moment one of the oh, gosh, what are we calling them actions under the mandate commitment of engaging the public service to identify opportunities to improve efficiency, coordinate processes, to support longterm fiscal sustainability is the development and implementation of a Employee Satisfaction Action Plan. That includes information gathering and policy initiatives.

So I can see kind of why that was slotted under there. I guess my question to the...

Thank you, Madam Chair. I'm going to couch this question very much in the fact that I do not want to speak about bargaining. I understand the bargaining process has to go along its merry little way. But I do want to understand for the Public Service Act LT, how far along is that towards completion? Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Got to keep things lively.

I also just note that we're up ever so slightly from the previous mains, so I was just hopeful that maybe that was a little bit of extra of, you know, human resource dollars paid for on Saturdays but if that's not the case, I'll be quiet. Thank you.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Madam Chair, under the technology service centre chargeback, it details each department's chargeback recoveries to the TSC, currently estimated at in 20242025 at just shy of $41 million. So I recognize, you know, part of this is how we pay our hardworking TSC folks, and I'm totally happy that we do, but for the remaining approximately $28 million, that's quite a jump from the last main estimates. And I was wondering if the Minister could speak to why it's gone up by just close to $6.3 million. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Madam Chair. And I recognize that. I recognize we're in fiscal sustainability. And, you know, it's just it's unfortunate to hear that we're reducing funding to such a well loved and well subscribed program. I realize they operate arm's length from the government. They do rely quite heavily on the pieces the GNWT funnels their way. So more of a comment than a question, but, I guess, I just I would like to if the Minister would be so kind as to elaborate to what she sees is the value for our investment on Arctic energy. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. And similarly to the income assistance line and the program detail, it has been historically lower, not that long ago, by gosh, I'm going to say math on the fly is not my forte, Mr. Speaker. But the difference between the main estimates of this fiscal is 43 almost $44 million, and in 20222023, the actuals were close to $36 million. So I guess obviously that's just a tiny snapshot, but if the Minister could speak to where she sees income assistance trending over time as well, that would be helpful. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thanks, Mr. Chair. I'll let other Members dive into this one. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Yes, and requirements for yes, and yes, and the requirements for workers' education, Mr. Chair. Thank you.