Kieron Testart

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Again, this motion recommends something that is quite self-explanatory, ensuring we have appropriate indicators, so we can, in fact, measure the progress that we are hoping to achieve. Given that the audit is related to the provision of essential services in communities including emergency preparedness, fire, water, the committee believes that having clear indicators is of crucial importance to our communities moving forward. We hope that this will be adopted, and we will see those indicators in the final action plan. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. As public engagement is an important priority of this government and we want to make sure we are making informed decisions that take into account the people that are most affected, the committee has put forward this recommendation. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Further to my previous comments on the last motion, when the standing committee was given the action plan for this audit, it was in final form, and committee felt that we were not given an opportunity to provide feedback to those concerns. Again, our work on these audits is an important part of that process. We would ask that, in the future, our comments and feedback be considered before any final plans are implemented.

I should add, as well, it is not the standing committee's intention with this motion to be involved in every step of the audit process, merely the final...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. When we were reviewing this business plan in particular, the government was very late in getting their action plan to us. In fact, probably about three hours was actually afforded in business days. We want to avoid that problem in the future. We certainly do appreciate the hard work that the department did in working with the Auditor General's office in developing their action plan. For us to play our part in this process, as the Standing Committee on Government Operations and the public accounts committee for this Assembly, we need to be given that information in a...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I appreciate we want to move on. All I will say is that the government has tabled a comprehensive plan to address these concerns. The committee is going to keep an eye on that and ensure they are done in a timely manner. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The Report of the Auditor General of Canada on Support to Communities for Municipal Services in the Northwest Territories, Municipal and Community Affairs was tabled in the Legislative Assembly on October 25, 2016.

On March 7, 2017, the Standing Committee on Government Operations presented its report on the review of the Auditor General's Report. This Standing Committee on Government Operations endorsed the 13 recommendations made by the Auditor General and recommended implementation of the recommendations by the department in a timely manner. We made recommendations...

Mr. Speaker, if the Minister is committing to hear from all my constituents who have concerns, I will make those appointments. Again, I think it is fairer not to do this on a one-off, but to have a broad conversation involving procurement experts, perhaps experts who do not reside in the Northwest Territories, and bring them together to discuss this. We have energy charrettes. We hire consultants to look at Aurora College. Why is the Minister so confident that our procurement system doesn't require any reform or any improvements? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I move that this Assembly recommend that the Government of the Northwest Territories provide a response to this report within 120 days. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Will the Minister commit to raising the 50 per cent requirement to 100 per cent northern-owned?

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I move that this Assembly strongly recommend that the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs simplify its approach in responding to the Auditor General's recommendations at paragraphs 109 and 112 of the Auditor General's report, such that the proposed actions are responsive to the purpose and intent of each recommendation; and further, that the department subsequently adjust its 2019-20 target date, identified under proposed priority action 109.6, to allow for a more timely response. Thank you, Mr. Chair.