Kieron Testart

How many families are currently receiving the benefit under the current structure of the benefit? Thank you

Thank you, Mr. Chair. If there was a change in our tax rates, is it the director who would be responsible for implementing that change? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I neglected to ask about the NWT Child Benefit, so in the department total I'll just ask some questions about this.

So this is a new change that's coming forward again with the passage of a piece of legislation that is currently with committee at second reading in this House, and it will increase the benefits payable through the fund or, sorry, through the credit. How many families are going to benefit from the enhanced NWT child benefit? Thank you.

No, thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. So this does suppose the passage of Bill 15? Yes. Sorry, it pre-supposes the passage. Thank you.

Although we are not directly referring to the section, the Public Utilities Board on the org chart is under the Minister responsible, who in turn is under the Premier. Does that have any kind of structural implications? The independence of the office is obviously established by legislation, but does the Premier have direction over the Minister responsible when issuing policy direction to the Public Utilities Board or does policy direction come from the Minister responsible? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I look forward to the discussion paper. Nothing further, thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chair, and I think my colleagues have spoken very, very well on this and on the achievements of the department today.

One thing, we are, of course, looking at a brand new department of the Executive that is now merging with previous Aboriginal Affairs, and I do want to commend the name change, Executive and Indigenous Affairs, bringing our language terminology in line with the new national standard, which I think shows a great deal of respect and sympathy towards Indigenous peoples across the country and of course here in the Northwest Territories. I think there will still be...

That is a great review. Thank you, Mr. Chair. Finally, the mandate commitment to lower taxes on small businesses, how is the department doing with that? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, your Standing Committee on Government Operations is pleased to provide its report on the review of the 2014-2015, and 2015-2016 Annual Reports of the Information and Privacy Commissioner of the Northwest Territories and commends it to the House.

The Access to Information and Protection of Privacy (ATIPP) Act came into force on December 31, 1996. The purpose of this legislation is to promote government accountability by balancing access to government information with the protection of individual privacy rights related to that information.

Under the act, the...