Thank you, Mr. Chair. 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, Mr. Nadli. To the motion.
Question.
Question has been called. The motion is carried.
---Carried
Does committee agree that we have concluded consideration of Committee Report 317(4), Report on the Review of the 2011-2012 Annual Report of the Information and Privacy Commissioner of the Northwest Territories?
Agreed.
Thank you. Ms. Bisaro.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. Since we have time and I believe staff have the motions ready for us, we would like to consider Committee Report 4-17(4).
Does committee agree?
Agreed.
Just give us a second and we will proceed. Committee has agreed to consider Committee Report 4-17(4), Report on the Review of the 2011-2012 Public Accounts. I will now go to the chair of the Standing Committee on Government Operations – this is the committee that conducted the review – for opening comments. Mr. Nadli.
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 review.
The committee’s report discusses and makes recommendations to include the timeliness of the public accounts. The committee examined the Auditor’s report and makes their related recommendations with regard to the NWT Housing Corporation reporting. The review clarified the cost of repaying the Discovery Air loan, winding down the NWT Opportunities Fund. The committee expresses dismay that the increase in the government’s borrowing limit came at a cost in foregoing interest and fees paid over $5 million.
The standing committee also paid particular attention to the notes on the accounts receivables and outlined receivables. The committee was pleased to hear the government has reviewed the interest rate policy for other jurisdictions such as Nunavut.
Members also look forward to seeing an improvement in the NWT Housing Corporation’s mortgage collections within the life of the 17th Assembly. The standing committee recommended that the government monitors loans receivable and develop targets and measures to improve collections, with a view to reducing the allowance for doubtful accounts to less than 30 percent of the total loans receivable.
Environmental liabilities have become a major issue in public centre accounting. The standing committee would like the government to provide a schedule or timetable for the environmental assessment of all known potentially contaminated sites for which the GNWT is responsible for.
The Standing Committee on Government Operations has a mandate to review the public accounts. The committee’s review was the first such examination of the public accounts in approximately nine years, but it will not be the last. The committee intends to continue the practice of a public review of the public accounts so that the GNWT spending issues are publicly examined and all relevant information is placed before the public. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Mr. Nadli. General comments. Seeing that there are no general comments, for closing, I will now move to Mr. Nadli.
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.
Thank you, Mr. Nadli. The motion is in order. To the motion.
Question.
Question has been called.
---Carried
Ms. Bisaro.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I move that this committee recommends that the Minister of Finance provide the committee with the final public accounts immediately upon sign-off, with the understanding that the committee may conduct a public review before the document is tabled in the Legislative Assembly.
Thank you, Ms. Bisaro. To the motion. Ms. Bisaro.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I would just like to say that the committee was pleased to see that the Finance department had produced the public accounts earlier than in the previous year. We would like to, as a committee, conclude the review of the public accounts as soon as possible after the audit is finished and so this allows us, within our rules, to hold a public hearing prior to having the document tabled in the Assembly. It will allow committee to speed up the review of the public accounts. Thank you.
Thank you, Ms. Bisaro. To the motion.
Question.
Question has been called.
---Carried
Ms. Bisaro.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I move that this committee recommends that the Minister of Finance provide the committee with the interim public accounts by August 31st of every year, in time for committee review of the government’s plans. Thank you.
Thank you, Ms. Bisaro. The motion is in order. To the motion.
Question.
Question has been called.
---Carried
Mr. Moses.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I move that this committee recommends that the Department of Finance continue to work with the Auditor General of Canada and GNWT departments, boards and agencies towards the completion of both the interim and final public accounts at the earliest possible date each year. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Moses. To the motion. Mr. Moses.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. In regard to this motion, any of these reports that we do get before standing committee would be very helpful in terms of how we plan out the business year. Without having these public accounts in place ahead of time, with some of the boards and agencies in their reporting, it is very difficult for committee to work on how we proceed with the business plans moving forward. Each year, whether or not departments spend all their funding or not, really reflects on how these reports are done.
Committee members, Regular Members going through the business planning cycle, it is a great opportunity to ensure that we get the best bang for our dollar but also know which programs are being efficient and which need help in the regions. Obviously, the motion is one that speaks towards efficiency and accountability towards the governments and agencies that we work with in the Northwest Territories. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Moses. To the motion.
Question.
Question has been called.
---Carried
Mr. Yakeleya.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I move that this committee recommends that the NWT Housing Corporation submits its 2012-2013 Annual Report within 150 days of the fiscal year end, with good reasons being provided to the House if this is not possible. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. The motion is in order. To the motion.
Question.
Question has been called.
---Carried
Ms. Bisaro.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I move that this committee recommends that the Government of the Northwest Territories monitor its loans receivable and develop targets and measures to improve collections, with a view to reducing the allowance for doubtful accounts to less than 30 percent.
