Michael Nadli

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Standing Committee on Government Operations is pleased to report on its review of the 2011-12 Public Accounts of the Northwest Territories. An internal review took place on March 14, and the public review took place on March 15, 2013. The committee would like to thank Assistant Auditor General Terry DeJong and Guy LeGras, principal, both of the Office of the Auditor General of Canada, for assisting in the review. Members would also like to thank Northwest Territories comptroller general Warren St. Germaine and his staff, assistant comptroller general Louise Lavoie...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In respect to the NGO Stabilization Fund that we’ve made a priority here today, there are real needs at the community level. For example, in my riding there is a real need for youth programs in terms of ensuring that there’s funding for programs and resources. At the same time, we’re contending with real social issues like homelessness. For those reasons, this fund is relied upon from the community organizations outside of Yellowknife.

For the Premier, as Minister of the Department of Executive, is the Premier willing to consider enhancing the NGO Stabilization Fund for...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Non-governmental organizations, or NGOs, do a lot of important work in our communities. Some receive GNWT funding to deliver critical services such as shelters for the homeless, mental health and addictions services, services for disabled people, friendship centres, daycare and youth centres and women’s shelters. Put another way, these groups are doing vital social service work that the government would have to do if they weren’t there, and doing it better.

The NGO Stabilization Fund was established in 2009 to help these groups stabilize and develop the capacity to...

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I move that this committee recommends that the Government of the Northwest Territories provide this House with a timetable or schedule for the environmental assessment of all known potentially contaminated sites for which the GNWT is responsible. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. The Standing Committee on Government Operations has presented its report on the review of the 2011-2012 Public Accounts. The public review took place on March 15, 2013. The committee’s report includes seven recommendations. The standing committee thanks the assistant auditor general, Terry DeJong, and his staff in the Office of the Auditor General of Canada for their generous assistance in this review. The committee also thanks the NWT comptroller general, Warren St. Germaine, and his staff for their assistance in their appearance with the committee during the public...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. The Standing Committee on Government Operations has presented its Report on the Review of the Northwest Territories Information and Privacy Commissioner’s 2011-2012 Annual Report.

The report, which includes five recommendations, was read into the record by the members of the committee and a motion was passed that moved the report into Committee of the Whole. The committee thanks Ms. Elaine Keenan-Bengts for her report and for her appearance before the committee on April 15, 2013.

The standing committee is pleased to see the government beginning to take action on some key...

Thank you to my colleagues, Mr. Speaker.

Note 21: Environmental Liabilities

The government recognizes that there are costs associated with the remediation of environmentally contaminated sites for which the GNWT is responsible. The standing committee was pleased to learn that the Auditor General of Canada considers the GNWT’s disclosure of these liabilities to have improved this year.

As of March 31, 2012, 139 sites for which the GNWT is responsible had been identified as potentially requiring environmental remediation. Twenty-six are active or decommissioned landfill sites that are outside...

I’d like to thank the Premier for making that commitment. Some NGOs are currently delivering critical services, but without GNWT funding they don’t qualify for the Stabilization Fund. What capacity building support is available from the GNWT for such NGOs? Mahsi.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to welcome Ms. Jane Arychuk, a former resident of Fort Providence, also a former principal and teacher. Mahsi.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I move that this committee recommends that the Department of Finance include a list of agencies included in the consolidated public accounts which did not meet the deadline for completion of their audits, as part of the standard reporting process. Thank you, Mr. Chair.