Mr. Speaker, I am proud to be associated with this progressive legislation. The modernized Yukon Act introduces a range of improvements over the current legislation that I am convinced will be beneficial to both aboriginal and non-aboriginal people of Yukon.
I would like to reassure this House that, in achieving this progress, negotiators took care to ensure that the needs and interests of current federal government employees who will be affected by the transfer of land and resources management powers and programs, who are, I should point out, in many cases northerners themselves, will also be protected and respected.
Federal negotiators, specifically, recognized the tremendous contributions employees of the Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development (DIAND) have made to the development of Yukon. In fact, they were determined to ensure those employees' skills and knowledge would be available to the Yukon government once devolution takes effect and it assumes responsibility for many of these program areas.
Let me quickly review the human resources provisions contained in the agreement in order to demonstrate that federal workers involved in this historic development will be fairly treated.
Approximately 240 permanent staff members of DIAND's Northern Affairs Program in the Yukon Regional Office will be directly affected by the transfer.
Under the terms of the devolution transfer agreement (DTA), each of those individuals will receive an offer of permanent employment from the Yukon government approximately six months prior to the date of devolution. The transfer is currently scheduled to take effect on April 1, 2003. Given that there is adequate lead time to complete the transition, both industry and the general public in Yukon can be assured of a smooth transition.
I can assure my hon. colleagues that the offer of employment from the Yukon government will be to a position whose duties and functions match, as closely as possible, those of the person's former job with the Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development.
In addition, there will be no impact on pension entitlements of the federal government employees who accept the Yukon government's offers of employment. This is because all Yukon government employees are members of the public service superannuation plan.
Furthermore, the salary of any DIAND staff member who accepts a position with the Yukon government will be equal to the employee's base federal salary plus the environmental allowance and the cost of living allowance components of the federal isolated post allowance. Most of the other allowances in the two systems are comparable as well.
In addition, federal government employees who accept the Yukon government's offer will be entitled to receive from the federal government a lump sum payment of up to three months salary. As well, an amount equivalent to severance payment will be transferred to the Yukon government. If and when those workers subsequently leave the Yukon government, they will be entitled to receive severance payments which will include their years of service both as federal and territorial employees.
I want to point out to my hon. colleagues that the terms and conditions set out in the devolution transfer agreement not only meet the requirements of the federal government's workforce adjustment policy, but in some cases exceed them. By this, I am referring to the workforce adjustment agreements between the federal government and public service unions.
I would like to note that there are a number of differences between the YTG and Government of Canada's collective bargaining agreements. Several benefits provided by the YTG are not available in the federal government system.
Workers who choose to accept the Yukon government's job offers and who have completed five years of continual employment with the federal public service will be entitled to an additional five days of long service leave with the Yukon government. In addition, they will also benefit from an additional statutory holiday each year.
In other cases, benefits available now are not available in the Yukon government system. For example, under the current isolated post allowance, in the federal system, once a year employees living and working in isolated areas are entitled to airfare for the entire family to the nearest major location.
In the case of employees in Yukon, this point is Vancouver. In order to receive this benefit, the employee or his family must travel. Under the Yukon system, the Yukon government provides a fixed sum to each employee regardless of whether travel takes place or not. Currently, this amount is $2,042.
Ultimately, each federal government employee will need to evaluate his or her personal situation in order to decide whether or not to accept the offer of employment from the Yukon government. The federal government, working closely with the Yukon government, will ensure that they have the information necessary to make that decision.
Some workers may choose not to make the move and, certainly, that is their prerogative. However, I think it is important to note that the unions representing these workers were consulted on a regular basis throughout the negotiation process.
These labour groups agree that the provisions negotiated under the devolution transfer agreement meet the terms and conditions outlined in the workforce adjustment agreements between treasury board and public service unions.
No one is denying that difficult decisions confront current federal employees as they consider their future. However, there is also no question that negotiators worked hard to ensure a fair deal for employees and ensure that past federal service would be recognized for leave and pension entitlements, and that affected employees would not be subject to new waiting periods before being eligible for benefits under the Yukon system.
I believe that it is very important that these federal workers choose to build Yukon as it capitalizes on this progressive legislation. They have a long corporate memory and hands-on experience, and specialized expertise and I hope that they will seize the chance to put their personal stamp on this exciting nation-building initiative.
Whatever their choices, members of parliament can be confident that their best interests have been considered and are protected under the initiative now before this House.
On this basis, I now turn to my hon. colleagues to ask for their support in passing this very worthy legislation.
I also wish to say hello to my constituents in Frontenac—Mégantic, which I consider a very beautiful region. I have never been to Yukon, but I am very proud to have had a seat beside the member for Yukon since first being elected to the House of Commons.