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STANDING COMMITTEE ON THE ECONOMY Hansard Verbatim Report No. 22 – November 24, 2009 Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan Twenty-sixth Legislature STANDING COMMITTEE ON THE ECONOMY Mr. Darryl Hickie, Chair Prince Albert Carlton Mr. Ron Harper, Deputy Chair Regina Northeast Hon. Dustin Duncan Weyburn-Big Muddy Ms. Laura Ross Regina Qu’Appelle Valley Mr. Lyle Stewart Thunder Creek Mr. Len Taylor The Battlefords Ms. Nadine Wilson Saskatchewan Rivers Published under the authority of The Honourable Don Toth, Speaker STANDING COMMITTEE ON THE ECONOMY 441 November 24, 2009 [The committee met at 19:00.] Enterprise and Innovation. So I will probably be asking a few general questions to get an idea, this being the first time we’re General Revenue Fund looking at Innovation Saskatchewan itself. So I’ll be asking a Supplementary Estimates — November few general questions just to get an idea of how the agency is Innovation Saskatchewan being structured. Vote 84 As I understand it, this being November the 24th, the agency Subvote (IS01) actually began operation only on November the 2nd. Is that correct? The Chair: — Good evening everybody. Good evening to the members of the committee tonight, of the Economy. And we’re Hon. Mr. Boyd: — I think that’s correct. here tonight to look at the Innovation Saskatchewan vote 84. And I guess before we begin, Minister, you want to introduce Mr. Taylor: — Thank you very much. You had indicated there your official with you, your chief of staff. And if you have a could be one official coming from Saskatoon. I don’t know this, preamble, feel free to start off. but that was going to be my first question. Where will Enterprise Saskatchewan operate out of? Where is the office? Hon. Mr. Boyd: — Thank you, Mr. Chair. Joining me here this evening is Laurie Pushor. He’s my chief of staff. And we felt Hon. Mr. Boyd: — Saskatoon. that there wasn’t a need to bring the one official that we might consider bringing down from Saskatoon for this. We were Mr. Taylor: — Okay, Saskatoon. At Innovation Place? Okay. optimistic that we might be able to deal with the questions as Does it have an office that it operates out of independently, or is they arise. it sharing space with another agency, group, organization? Is it an independent space? I do have a few comments, Mr. Chair, to begin with. Innovation Saskatchewan has been established to act as innovation lens Hon. Mr. Boyd: — Currently sharing space with the Enterprise across government. In the current year, we intend to establish folks. That may change and they may look for a stand-alone Innovation Saskatchewan as an independent coordinating body office. for government. This budget allocation represents a pro-rated amount for the balance of the current year being transferred Mr. Taylor: — Okay. Currently then, within the budget from Enterprise Saskatchewan. numbers that we’re looking for to the end of the year, what do you see the space cost being when we’re doing the We are mandated to provide overall coordination of government administration work on the space? What’s the rent, I guess, is of research and development, innovation spending, establish an the easiest question to ask. What’s the rent on the space? overarching innovation strategy for government. This would set a strategic leadership for priority areas led by the ministry. The Hon. Mr. Boyd: — 10,500. objective is to promote inter-ministry coordination and co-operation, support, and monitor specific priority area Mr. Taylor: — For a year or for a month? strategies, consider programs or strategies to support multi-sector innovation initiatives. This might include major Hon. Mr. Boyd: — Pardon me? For the remaining amount of investments such as carbon capture or isotope research. this year. The resources being transferred support five full-time Mr. Taylor: — For the remaining amount of this year. Okay. equivalents being transferred from Enterprise Saskatchewan, How will the administration be structured within Innovation overhead expenses to support the activities of the organization, Saskatchewan? In other words, who’s paying the bills? Who’s contract resources to specific initiatives which amount to helping the senior people do the budgeting? Who’s keeping approximately $600,000. TRLabs conducts work in track of things? Can you give me some idea of how the telecommunications and other areas. FPInnovations research, administration within IS [Innovation Saskatchewan] is the company works in the support of the forestry industry structured? located in Saskatoon. Hon. Mr. Boyd: — Currently Energy and Resources provides Mr. Chair, I would be happy to entertain any questions that by administrative support agreement. committee members may have. Mr. Taylor: — By an agreement. That’s an interesting way to The Chair: — Thank you, Mr. Minister. Mr. Taylor. put it. Somebody at Innovation Saskatchewan signed an agreement with Energy and Resources to do this. It’s a formal Mr. Taylor: — Thank you very much, Mr. Chair, and welcome agreement, a written agreement? Or simply something that’s to the committee, Minister, and to your chief of staff. As you been determined internally? have noted in your opening remarks, we’re dealing with Innovation Saskatchewan, vote no. 84. This is the first time this Hon. Mr. Boyd: — That isn’t concluded at this point in time, committee has had an opportunity to review Innovation but that’s how we envision it. Saskatchewan, although in the spring during estimates on the budget, we did have an opportunity to ask some questions under Mr. Taylor: — Okay, so it’s not yet in place, but Energy and 442 Economy Committee November 24, 2009 Resources will manage . And I’m assuming Energy and Hon. Mr. Boyd: — There is a modest amount of travel and Resources will receive some fee for these services? Will there expenses accounted for here of $7,500. be an exchange of some sort? Mr. Taylor: — All right. Maybe I should ask that basic Hon. Mr. Boyd: — Well again that’s to be worked out. I would question. I do have some interest in how it breaks down, but say that if there is any fee, it would be pretty darn minimal. perhaps you could . If you’ve got a breakdown, how is the $520,000 arrived at — administrative salaries, travel, that sort Mr. Taylor: — Okay. How many employees of Innovation of thing. Saskatchewan are there accounted for in the funds in front of us? Hon. Mr. Boyd: — Well 399,000 would be in core operations, and the balance would be in programming. Hon. Mr. Boyd: — Five. Mr. Taylor: — Okay. I may have to come back to that in a Mr. Taylor: — Five? What would those five be doing? What little bit. So I know when ministers have taken on the job of are the jobs of the five employees? being a minister, they received a mandate letter from the Premier. Have you received a mandate letter for Innovation Hon. Mr. Boyd: — Well there are . obviously someone is in Saskatchewan? charge. There’s some administrative support, that sort of thing. Hon. Mr. Boyd: — No. I think that was a part of the Mr. Taylor: — Okay. I’ll get to some of this a little bit later. discussions with the first minister as part of Innovation, when it But your opening remarks indicated that one of the jobs of was part of Enterprise. Innovation Saskatchewan is to act as an innovative lens across government. So who of these five employees is managing the Mr. Taylor: — So you would assume your mandate then is lens, the co-operation, the work, the liaison with other simply an expansion or an extension of the direction that was ministries and agencies within government? provided to the individual who was Minister of Enterprise and Innovation before the split of the agencies? Hon. Mr. Boyd: — The person that we appoint as the CEO [chief executive officer] will be in charge of that. Hon. Mr. Boyd: — In a manner of speaking, I would say yes. Mr. Taylor: — Any of that been done yet? Is there a CEO in Mr. Taylor: — Okay. The next question I have actually comes place? in two parts. The second would be a little bit later in my organized questions here. Hon. Mr. Boyd: — No. But in addition to yourself and the staff of Innovation Mr. Taylor: — Okay. Is there a hiring process in place yet? Saskatchewan, there’s a board. I understand that you’ve Process, I’m not quite sure how you plan to do this. How do indicated recently that a board would be appointed shortly. Can you plan to put the CEO in place? you tell me what the status of the development of a board or appointment of a board is? Hon. Mr. Boyd: — We are looking at people that are transferring from Enterprise Saskatchewan to look to head up Hon. Mr. Boyd: — We are currently speaking to a number of this organization. Already existing employees. individuals about appointment to the board. We haven’t made any full decisions with respect to that just yet. Mr. Taylor: — Okay. Of these five employees, do you anticipate all of them to come from Enterprise? Will it be a I’m sure you would appreciate from time to time people express direct transfer or will there be others? interest, and then they also think about it for a little while, and then they may not be quite as interested as they would have Hon. Mr. Boyd: — There would be four, and one admin thought. Or they look at it and say, I’m not sure I can commit to position that’s currently vacant that we are looking to fill.

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