Jackson Lafferty

Mahsi, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, I have already highlighted the Report on the Review on the Information and Privacy Commissioner 2005-2006 Annual Report as deemed read and we had some motions to follow that. Mahsi.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the Standing Committee on Accountability and Oversight is pleased to present its Report on Transitional Matters. As the 15th Assembly draws to a close, this report captures our recommendation for improvements to the committee processes as well as our thoughts on several ongoing and emergency issues we expect or require attention of the next Assembly.

Mr. Speaker, many people think of session as the time when Members of the Legislative Assembly do most of their work. However, much of the detail, discussion and decision-making that results in changes to...

Mahsi, Mr. Chair. I move that this committee recommends that the GNWT table a comprehensive response to this report no later than during the Second Session of the 16th Legislative Assembly. Mahsi, Mr. Chair.

Mahsi, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, I move that this committee recommends that the Premier, Ministers and deputy ministers take a leadership role in changing the corporate culture as far as the interpretation and application of the ATIPP Act is concerned to create a culture of openness from top to bottom. Furthermore, this committee recommends that a new section reporting on ATIPP activities is included in the yearly business plan for each department. This new reporting framework should include information on requests, complaints and how they were resolved, related training and any other initiatives...

Mahsi, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, the committee wishes to consider Committee Report 6-15(6), Report on the Review of the Information and Privacy Commissioner 2005-2006 Annual Report. Mahsi.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. (Translation) Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today is our last meeting. I would like to make a statement. Ever since our last election, we’ve travelled into various communities, we spoke to elders, youth and community members. We tried our best to work for our people. We have a lot of different jurisdictions in Canada but here in the Northwest Territories, we have different jurisdictions. I wish the best for everyone in this next Assembly. We have to work well together in order to go forward. These are the messages that our communities give us. (Translation ends)

…day of...

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mahsi, colleagues. They were very close.

---Laughter

Mr. Speaker, I’d like to have congratulations go out to Marvin Migwi, Rusty Mantla, both who are mentor coaches, and Kyler Apples, Tyler Sage, Gregory Black, Aaron Bekale, Marty Bouvier and Cordelia Bouvier and also their hard, dedicated coach, also like a father-figure for them, Michael Botermans. Mr. Speaker, it’s always, always an honour to recognize these fine, talented Tlicho athletes and we will continue to do so. Mahsi.

---Applause

Mahsi, Madam Chair. Madam Chair, it has certainly has been a roller coaster ride lately, the last couple of days or a couple of weeks, on this particular SCAN legislation that is before us. I would just like to make it clear that there was an article in the newspaper; of course, don’t believe everything you read or hear. It is not the first time, of course, that the newspaper has done that, but I just want to state my piece here that this whole thing I would like to commend the Minister and his department and staff for bringing this forward.

I know where the Minister’s heart is. He wants to...

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker…(English not provided)

Mr. Speaker, just to summarize what I’ve said in the Tlicho language, this bridge that we are talking about here is also in our backyard, the neighbouring Deh Cho area in Fort Providence. We call it…(English not provided)…in our language.

The bridge has already been announced that it’s going to go ahead. We are here debating the accountability, the transparency. It’s true that we should have gotten more information, whether it be business and economic impact models that have been requested by colleagues of mine around the table here. We...

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Great Slave, that Committee Report 6-15(6) be received by the Assembly and moved into Committee of the Whole. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.