Michael Nadli

Thank you, Madam Chair. On Thursday, May 31, 2012, the Standing Committee on Government Operations presented its Report on the Review of the Northwest Territories Information and Privacy Commissioner’s 2010-2011 Annual Report. The report, which includes six recommendations, was read into the record by members of the committee and a motion was passed and moved to report into Committee of the Whole. The committee thanks Ms. Elaine Keenan Bengts for the report and for her appearance before the committee on February 14, 2012.

The standing committee is seriously concerned by the government’s lack of...

With the recent trends in how it is that we’re going to spend the next four years trying to allocate our priorities, I think there’s been a deliberate decision to ensure that any major capital infrastructure projects are delayed at the latter part of this Assembly. I wanted to ask if there are any interim arrangements that perhaps communities could be considered because of their long-standing aspiration to try to establish service infrastructure, like water treatment plants. Can this government at least try to prioritize these projects?

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Most of the Northwest Territories 33 communities are made up of First Nation band councils. There are a number of options for how communities govern themselves. No matter what size the population, hamlets, villages, towns and cities in the NWT are established by territorial laws. Community governments’ roles are political and administrative. Elected councils are made up of mayors, councillors and chiefs, to provide leadership and guidance through administration.

Hamlet councils are more than dogs, dumps and ditches. They are even more than just administering the community’s...

I move that this committee recommends that the Government of the Northwest Territories provide a comprehensive response to this report within 120 days.

Thank you, Madam Chair. On Thursday, May 31, 2012, the Standing Committee on Government Operations presented its Report on the Review of the Human Rights Commission’s 2010-2011 Annual Report. The report, which includes two recommendations, was read into the record by the chair of the committee and a motion was passed to move the report into Committee of the Whole.

The committee would like to take this opportunity to thank Ms. Mary Pat Short, the outgoing chair of the Northwest Territories Human Rights Commission, and Ms. Therese Boullard, the outgoing director of the Human Rights Commission...

I move that this committee recommends that the Government of the Northwest Territories provide a progress report and implementation plan for the committee’s recommendations concerning access to information and protection of privacy presented in the House between 2008 and May 2012 before the fall 2012 session of the Legislative Assembly.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I move that this committee recommends to the Government of the Northwest Territories to undertake a comprehensive review of the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act and the role and powers of the Information and Privacy Commissioner and bring forward a bill during the first two years of this Assembly. Thank you, Madam Chair.

I’d like to thank the Minister for pointing out that there is at least an engagement with elders of the Seniors’ Society, in terms of trying to prepare for the eventuality that indeed we will have more elders perhaps within the next 10 or 20 years in terms of population, my next question is in regard to the federal government’s recent discussion of raising the retirement from 65 to 67. What’s the position of the GNWT on that?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My follow-up questions are directed to the Minister responsible for seniors. [English translation not provided.]

I wanted to ask the Minister what kind of current programs and services are available from the GNWT in the interest and care of elders.

I wanted to thank the Minister for the general response. Currently the elders population is fairly low with the number of elders over the age of 65, but with the current estimates, I believe within 10 years those figures will dramatically change and we’ll have an increased population of elders. How is the government preparing to try and meet the needs of elders at that age? How is this government preparing for that eventuality?