Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The RCMP has been part of our lives in the North since their arrival in 1904. We are proud of the relationships that our communities and the RCMP have built over the years. It is important that leaders support communities and the RCMP to continue to build on these positive working relationships. Our leaders and communities want to work alongside the RCMP to make our homes and communities a safer place to live.
Over the last couple of years, I have made a number of statements in this House concerning the lack of policing in Tsiigehtchic. There is no question in my mind that a police detachment in Tsiigehtchic is necessary and must be a part of this government’s long-term plan. I do, however, recognize the reality and know that a detachment isn’t going to happen tomorrow. I know a detachment is a ways off. It could be years. This is an unfortunate reality.
The problem is that, as I fight for my constituents and champion for a detachment, the needs of my people continue. The issues don’t take a break because there is no detachment. In fact, it only gets worse.
Today I want to work with the Minister of Justice on some interim solutions to policing and public safety that can exist in Tsiigehtchic.
Our world is constantly changing. Today we are dealing with factors we did not traditionally see, such as drugs. Our elders are worried about how to deal with this and how to help our youth. We need to work together to explore all options, especially in our communities that do not have detachments.
I know that we have many committed people who will dedicate their time to help those who come into conflict with the law. There are community justice committees, victim service workers, volunteers for crime prevention activities and other community events. They require our ongoing support, as do the RCMP members who are working in our communities.
I want to explore all of the options to create links with the RCMP, recruitment, Aboriginal community constable programs, programs for the youth that may help address community safety and support policing in Tsiigehtchic.
Later today I will ask the Minister of Justice questions on what we can do while we are waiting for a detachment to become a reality in Tsiigehtchic, working together on these types of initiatives to help my constituents feel safe in their homes and in the community. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Blake. The honourable Member for Yellowknife South, Mr. McLeod.
Mr. Speaker, today I would like to recognize the 62nd wedding anniversary of my in-laws, Fred and Berna Mandeville. Fred and Berna were married in Fort Resolution on April 13, 1951, so Friday the 13th is lucky after all. They have 12 children, of whom my wife, Melody, is the eldest. Fred and Berna live in Hay River and, at the young ages of 80 and 82, live on their own and continue to spend time at their cabin at Buffalo River whenever they can.
Their wedding was supposed to be a double wedding with George and Rosa Fabien. However, the 13th happened to be on a Friday, so George and Rosa decided to get married the day before. George and Rosa are also celebrating their 62nd wedding anniversary this year. They are both living in the extended care facility in Hay River. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. McLeod. The Member for Tu Nedhe, Mr. Beaulieu.
Mahsi cho, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to congratulate Adrian Lizotte, originally from Tu Nedhe, for receiving the Premier’s Award yesterday for his work on anthrax.
It is with great sadness that I send my condolences to the family of the late Grant Giroux. He passed away on March 24, 2013, at age 58. He was born in Rocher River on February 18, 1955.
Grant was a hardworking, dedicated man and was dedicated to his seven children and 10 grandchildren. His work was always focused on the benefits for the people that he loved. He was a great father and grandfather and loved to show his love, and this will keep his memory strong.
Grant was a hunter and trapper, and also a heavy equipment operator instructor. All his life he always shared what he had with elders, friends and family. His life was always to help people. He had a great sense of humour and people would always surround him because he showed compassion to everyone he met.
Grant was predeceased by his parents, Wilfred and Elizabeth Giroux, and his sister, Violet Giroux-Bailey. My condolences go out to Grant’s seven children, 10 grandchildren, his brothers, George, Raymond, Robert, David, Velmore, Carl and Justin, and his sisters, Edith and Dianne, and his many nephews, nieces, cousins and friends.
I also would like to send my deepest condolences to the family and friends of Mr. Barry Sanderson of Deninu K’ue, who passed away this year and had the funeral on May 14, 2013.
Barry was born November 25, 1966. He was a hardworking person with a loving heart and he loved his two children, Craig and Roberta, and his mother, Mary. He did the best he could for them.
He is survived by his mother, his brother, James, and sister, Cyndi. Barry had a great sense of humour and wanted to see family and friends smile and laugh. He loved life and always had a helping hand for those in need.
My sincerest condolences go out to his two children, Roberta and Craig, his mother, who will miss him dearly, his sister, Cyndi, and his brother, James, many nieces, nephews, cousins and many, many friends. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu. Item 4, reports of standing and special committees. Mr. Nadli.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Standing Committee on Government Operations is pleased to provide its report on the Report of the Auditor General of Canada on the 2013 Northwest Territories Income Security Programs and commends it to this House.
Thank you, Mr. Nadli. You may proceed.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Standing Committee on Government Operations held its public review of the 2013 Report of the Auditor General of Canada on April 16 and 17, 2013.
The standing committee thanks assistant auditor general Ronnie Campbell, principal Glenn Wheeler, and lead auditor Erin Jellinek for preparing the report and assisting the committee during the public review. The committee also thanks the associate deputy minister of Education, Culture and Employment, Mr. Dana Heide; Deputy Minister Gabriella Eggenhofer; and the director of income security, Ms. Lois Walbourne, for appearing as witnesses at the review.
The Auditor General of Canada conducts financial and performance audits in all three northern territories. Financial audits tell the Legislative Assembly and the public whether the government is keeping proper accounts and records and presenting its financial information fairly. Performance audits consider whether programs are being run with due regard for economy, efficiency, effectiveness and environmental impacts. Since 2006, the Auditor General has conducted seven performance audits in the Northwest Territories and issued one status report covering progress on the recommendations of previous audits.
The Legislative Assembly’s Standing Committee on Government Operations is mandated to review the reports of the Auditor General and make recommendations to the Government of the Northwest Territories.
Members look for efficiencies, best practices, and gaps, with the intent of improving services to residents. The Auditor General’s reports are essential tools in Members’ scrutiny of government spending and performance.
I will now hand the report over to my colleague Ms. Bisaro.
Thank you, Mr. Nadli. Ms. Bisaro.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Auditor General’s report was tabled in the Legislative Assembly on March 7, 2013. This year’s performance audit focused on four income security programs delivered by the Northwest Territories Department of Education, Culture and Employment (ECE): Income Assistance, Student Financial Assistance, the Child Care User Subsidy, and the Senior Home Heating Subsidy.
All of these programs are directly related to the 17th Assembly’s goal of “healthy, educated people free from poverty.”
In the past, northern indigenous peoples survived by following traditional laws of sharing, caring, and mutual respect. If someone was in need, they received help. There was no shame in that. Everyone had a contribution to make, and everyone was worthy of respect. Today Northwest Territories income security programs help meet the basic needs of individuals and families for food, shelter, clothing and warmth. Members believe such programs should be delivered not only in compliance with modern-day statutes and regulations, but also in the spirit and with the intent of the traditional laws.
Northerners also strongly value self-reliance. Since 2007 this value has been explicitly reflected in Northwest Territories income security programs delivered by the Department of Education, Culture and Employment. These programs reduce dependency on government by encouraging people who are able to enter or remain in the workforce, supporting students in post-secondary education, subsidizing child care to help parents become or stay employed, and helping seniors stay in their own homes through assistance with heating costs.
These are large and important programs. The number of people who received benefits under one of ECE’s four programs in 2010-11 totalled 5,455, or roughly one in every eight Northwest Territories residents. The Government of the Northwest Territories spends about $30 million per year on these programs.
The Auditor General’s performance audit covered program delivery between April 2009 and September 2012. Client files from April 2009 to June 2012 were sampled to determine if applicants were assessed and benefits paid according to requirements. ECE’s efforts to assess program performance between January 2007 and September 2012 were examined, in order to include changes to the programs made in 2007.
The audit focused on two main questions. The first was whether the department was delivering its programs according to key elements of legislation and policies. The second was whether the department was collecting data and assessing program performance to ensure objectives are met.
The Standing Committee on Government Operations was dismayed to learn from the Auditor General’s report that there are serious systemic problems with the delivery of income security programs by the Department of Education, Culture and Employment.
According to the Auditor General, the department is providing reasonable access to these programs and has established the required appeals processes.
However, the Auditor General also found that many client files are not managed according to requirements: processes are unclear, not followed or incomplete; monitoring is inconsistent; financial oversight is sometimes lacking; employees are not sufficiently trained; and there is limited assessment of program performance. These issues are significant.
In delivering income security, the right amounts must go to the right people, at the right time, otherwise someone could be out on the street trying to collect enough pop bottles to pay for their next meal. A disabled person might not be able to meet their rent. A student could drop out, or an elder could get sick because their house is too cold. Behind the income security numbers are some of the most vulnerable people in our society.
The Auditor General’s observations on ECE income security programs, and the committee’s ratings based on the audit, can be summarized as follows.
Access to income security programs?
ECE promotes its programs through the media.
Program information sessions are held.
Routine visits to small/remote communities are made.
Local Aboriginal language services are used.
There have been improvements to appeal processes.
The committee considers this satisfactory.
Program delivery in accordance with requirements?
Fifty-nine percent of 65 files reviewed did not meet one or more key requirements.
Income Assistance had the most unsatisfactory files (90 percent)
Client eligibility was not consistently verified
regarding client income
regarding participation in required activities (“productive choices”)
Payments were inaccurate
Student Financial Assistance did better, but:
correctly determining residency was a problem
The committee considers this unsatisfactory.
Processes and systems to support program delivery?
Data collection and analysis?
Data collected is not used to analyze program performance and modify programming.
There has been no formal overall assessment of whether the programs are meeting their objectives.
The committee considers this unsatisfactory.
Integrated continuum of services
The standing committee is concerned about the coordination of income security programs within the GNWT and the coordination of income security and other services to residents in need.
The scope of the Auditor General’s performance audit was limited to the four income security programs delivered by ECE. However, there is a larger context to consider. The department’s income security programs are part of a network of 16 GNWT programs totalling $140 million per year. The committee was told during the hearing that subsidy and benefit programs to help meet residents’ income security needs are offered by the NWT Housing Corporation, Health and Social Services, Justice, and Municipal and Community Affairs, among others. Some programs are delivered through the tax system in conjunction with the federal government. The committee did not receive a complete inventory of these programs during the review.
From another perspective, the people who apply for ECE’s income support programs are more than their bank accounts. They are whole human beings, with a wide range of needs and capabilities. During the public review, ECE’s associate deputy minister suggested that as many as 30 percent of income assistance clients, in particular, might be more appropriately case-managed by another department or agency. ECE’s programs are heavily oriented towards the labour market. Its client service officers operate in conjunction with regional service centres that also house career development officers. Client service officers are not social workers. While they can refer people to counselling, for example, as a productive choice, the client must self-identify.
The Government of the Northwest Territories is collaborating with Aboriginal governments and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in the development and implementation of a poverty-free NWT strategy. As the department moves to implement the Auditor General’s recommendations, its officials will need to consider how these actions will impact the strategy and its implementation.
One of the pillars of the proposed Anti-Poverty Strategy is an integrated continuum of services. While the vision of the strategy is more wide-ranging, the standing committee would like to know, at a minimum, how ECE’s income security programs complement other GNWT income security programs. The committee also encourages ECE to work with other GNWT social envelope departments and other service providers towards the development of an integrated case management system or team approach, consistent with its commitment to a culture of client service.
The Standing Committee on Government Operations recommends that the Department of Education, Culture and Employment take the lead in working with other GNWT social envelope departments and other service providers towards the development of an integrated case management system, consistent with its commitment to a culture of client service.
Mr. Speaker, I would now like to hand the reading of the report over to my colleague Mr. Dolynny. Thank you.
Thank you, Ms. Bisaro. Mr. Dolynny.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you, Ms. Bisaro.
Program accountability and reporting relationships in ECE
The Auditor General’s report briefly outlines how the Department of Education, Culture and Employment is organized to deliver its four income security programs. The associate deputy minister stated that he was ultimately accountable for these programs and their performance. The standing committee appreciates this statement. However, Members found they could not readily discern the reporting relationships and accountabilities of staff delivering income security programs at regional and community offices, regional superintendents of ECE, and managers and senior managers at headquarters.
The Standing Committee on Government Operations recommends that the Department of Education, Culture and Employment clarify the reporting relationships of staff involved in the delivery of its income security programs with a view to making their accountability evident, and provide this information to the standing committee at the earliest opportunity.
Front-line staff are concerned about workloads and safety
The Auditor General’s observations conclude with a section on the workload and safety concerns of front-line income security workers. These observations were outside the scope of the audit, but they are clearly important. The standing committee has stressed the need for staff to treat Income Security clients with respect and compassion. Front-line workers deserve the same treatment.
Client service officers, or CSOs, are the front-line workers who deliver the Income Assistance, Senior Home Heating and Child Care Assistance programs. CSO caseloads can be very heavy. Large numbers of cases leave the CSOs with little time to work with clients to provide services such as career planning. The Auditor General determined that in 2011, CSOs handled an average of 34 files a month. However, in some communities, CSOs are administering 65 to 119 files per month. These figures do not take into account Senior Home Heating or Child Care User Subsidy.
The department has not officially identified a standard for monthly caseloads. The standing committee learned during the hearing that ECE is working on its CSO training effort first, which may improve these workers’ efficiency. The committee suggests trying another measure, as well, that may save both the CSOs and their clients some time. The regulatory framework for income assistance already permits ongoing clients to report their income at longer intervals, rather than having to provide documentation every month. This feature of the program is underutilized, perhaps owing to concern about overpayments.
The Standing Committee on Government Operations recommends that the Department of Education, Culture and Employment set a standard for monthly client service officer caseloads, review staffing levels and rebalance workloads as needed. A backup system should be in place to provide additional experienced staff support where there is a temporary overload.
The committee learned that the turnover rate for CSOs is approximately 50 percent annually. Such a high level of turnover is costly, and it impacts the quality and efficiency of service to clients. The Auditor General’s staff and the associate deputy minister of ECE consider that better training will help retention, as will the development of caseload standards. The committee highlighted the need for mentoring of new staff, not only by supervisors but by more experienced colleagues. An improved turnover rate would be a helpful indicator of whether working conditions and morale have improved, and whether training and caseload standards have been effectively implemented.
The Standing Committee on Government Operations recommends that the Department of Education, Culture and Employment report the turnover rate for its client service officers annually as a performance measure in the department’s business plan.
Finally, some CSOs expressed safety concerns during the audit. Sadly, employees do not feel adequately protected from hostile clients. The department has provided a workplace protocol for hostile behaviour, and some offices have glass partitions and alternative exits. While physical measures like partitions may help with worker safety, they may not be welcoming for clients. It is also difficult to create safer conditions in smaller communities with one-person offices. Nevertheless, the standing committee believes front-line workers deserve a safer workplace. Solutions can and must be found to make their offices both safe and welcoming.
The Standing Committee on Government Operations recommends that the Department of Education, Culture and Employment prioritize the establishment of safe workplaces for its front-line Income Security workers, bearing in mind the need to retain a welcoming atmosphere for clients, and report on client service officers’ satisfaction with safety measures annually as a performance measure in the department’s business plan.
The Auditor General found that the Department provides reasonable access to its income security programs
The standing committee was glad to hear that access to income security programs is provided across the Northwest Territories in a wide variety of ways and commends the department on its efforts in this area.
However, the statement in the Auditor General’s report that “the department has worked with hamlet councils to implement a voucher system for the Income Assistance program” raised questions for the committee. Members recognize that vouchers were mentioned in connection with the department’s ongoing efforts to respond to First Nations and community governments. Providing vouchers instead of cash is intended to help address community social issues by ensuring that income assistance is spent on basic family needs.
Members learned at the public review that voucher systems are now in place in several Northwest Territories communities, and that the department has attempted to evaluate them, with inconclusive results. The committee would like to confirm that vouchers are not limiting eligible clients’ access to income assistance, that they are being provided fairly and with due respect for the dignity of clients, that the system is not subject to abuse, and that vouchers are having the intended effect of reducing community social problems.
The Standing Committee on Government Operations recommends that the Department of Education, Culture and Employment report to the Standing Committee on Social Programs on the use of voucher systems for income assistance in Northwest Territories communities, noting locations, numbers of clients, features of the systems, monitoring by the department, performance measures and evaluation results.
The Auditor General found that the department has processes in place to administer client appeals
All four of ECE’s income security programs require that there be an appeal process for clients who feel they have been treated unfairly. By 2010 ECE had established the required appeal committees and boards for income assistance. The department has also been following the required SFA appeal processes. An appeals coordinator has been hired to organize appeals for all income security programs and to assist clients. The Auditor General reviewed proceedings from 36 of 136 appeals (78 income assistance and 58 student financial assistance) and found that appeals committees and boards generally conduct them in an appropriate and timely manner.
The standing committee concurs that having all required appeals processes in place is a significant improvement. However, Members had concerns about the underlying fairness of the appeals processes. Currently, an appellant may be left without financial support until such time as the appeal is heard. While most appeals are now heard in a timely manner, it can take as long as a month to get a hearing. The committee believes appellants should be given the benefit of the doubt and that support should be provided at least until the hearing, in the case of both new and existing Income Assistance clients and for ongoing Student Financial Assistance clients.
The Standing Committee on Government Operations recommends that the Department of Education, Culture and Employment provide support to income security appellants at least until the hearing, in the case of both new and existing Income Assistance clients and for ongoing Student Financial Assistance clients.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to pass on the report to my colleague Mr. Moses. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Dolynny. Mr. Moses.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you, Mr. Dolynny.
The Auditor General found that the majority of income security client files reviewed were not managed according to one or more program requirements.
The Auditor General’s staff sampled client files from April 2009 to June 2012 to determine if applicants were assessed and benefits paid according to requirements. A random sample of 65 client files from all four programs was used, from both regional and small community service centres. The file review focused mainly on compliance with eligibility requirements and timely and accurate payments.
On the positive side, there were numerous examples of good case management practices, and requirements were consistently met in some areas. The Auditor General’s staff also saw many examples of client service officers providing active help to clients, including home visits, help completing applications, alternative payment methods, and help with financial management. The standing committee recognizes and applauds the many CSOs who are putting great effort, compassion and respect into helping their clients.
However, the overall results of the file audit must be considered unsatisfactory. Key program requirements were not met in nearly 60 percent of the files. The review found significant issues with the delivery of the four programs in accordance with their governing legislation and regulations. As the report states, “Not complying with these requirements means the department may not be making effective use of public funds and may be compromising its commitments to support vulnerable residents and to help them become more self-reliant.”
The Student Financial Assistance program, which is centrally administered from headquarters, had better results. About 35 percent of the files audited did not meet key requirements. One important finding was that student case officers did not make consistent decisions on student residency, and decisions did not always comply with program eligibility requirements. The standing committee expects the department to clarify Student Financial Assistance program guidelines on residency and eligibility not only for student case officers but also for students and the public, especially on the department’s website.
The Standing Committee on Government Operations recommends that the Department of Education, Culture and Employment consider options to ensure that Senior Home Heating Subsidy recipients have the opportunity to use their full subsidy amount, and that the department present these options to the Standing Committee on Social Programs within the 2013-2014 fiscal year.
Seventy percent of the Child Care User Subsidy files examined by the auditors did not meet requirements. Here, delays in payments to parents or child care providers were a significant problem. The Auditor General found that CSOs were often unclear about the required verification process and failed to meet required timelines for the payments. The Child Care User Subsidy was incorporated into the Income Assistance program in September 2012. As with student financial assistance, the standing committee is concerned not only with clear guidelines for staff but also for the general public. The department assured the committee during the review that the necessary information is publicly available.
The committee will make a formal recommendation concurring with the Auditor General’s recommendation on this subject later in this report.
The Auditor General identified six main factors in the department’s difficulties in delivering and managing its income security programs according to the requirements of legislation, policies and guidelines. The standing committee concurs with all of the Auditor General’s recommendations in these areas, including better monitoring, training and support to staff. The committee is pleased to note that the Minister and the Department of Education, Culture and Employment have accepted these recommendations and are working towards implementing them.
The Auditor General found that the department has processes and tools in place to support the delivery of income security programs, including detailed policies, procedures, guidelines and standard templates. In some instances, however, these are unclear. For example:
For the Child Care User Subsidy, policies, procedures and guidelines did not provide clear guidance for verifying child care costs.
The Auditor General had two recommendations with respect to clarifying program guidelines, one general and one specific to the Child Care User Subsidy. The standing committee concurs with both.
The Standing Committee on Government Operations concurs with the Auditor General of Canada and recommends that the Department of Education, Culture and Employment should clarify policies, procedures and guidelines outlining Income Security Program delivery requirements and how to meet them. It should ensure staff understand and are following these procedures and guidelines.
The Standing Committee on Government Operations concurs with the Auditor General of Canada and recommends that, as the Department of Education, Culture and Employment introduces its revised Child Care User Subsidy within the Income Assistance Program, it should develop clear guidelines that are consistent with program requirements and clearly communicate these requirements to front-line staff and potential applicants.
Lack of oversight increases risk in the use of the Client Management and Administration System (CMAS)
The CMAS database was used to support delivery of all four of the department’s income security programs. The system is built on the assumption that CSOs verify client information before it is entered, and that they enter the information correctly.
However, the Auditor General’s review found that errors do occur, CSOs do not verify client information in all files, and they do not always understand or apply program requirements in the same way.
Payments under the other three programs are issued out of the GNWT’s SAM financial system.
The Auditor General did not provide a recommendation. The standing committee heard during the review that ECE has not been able to find an acceptable solution with its existing CMAS system and limited staffing in small communities. The department is concerned about limiting CSOs’ ability to provide emergency income assistance. The committee expects the department to develop a plan to provide the necessary oversight. The department would do well to consult with the Department of Finance on audit and accounting protocols.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to turn over the reading of the report to Mr. Yakeleya.
Thank you, Mr. Moses. Mr. Yakeleya.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Monitoring of program delivery in regional/community service centres is inconsistent
According to the Auditor General, ECE’s monitoring of income security programs delivered by regional and community service centres is inconsistent. Managers in some regions visit community service centres to monitor general program delivery and spending. However, in most regions they did not monitor files in detail for compliance due to costs of travel, staff shortages and workloads.
The OAG found examples of good monitoring practices in some regions. In one region, the manager reviews random client files and documents results to ensure CSOs verified information properly and the file complies with requirements. Findings are presented to CSOs, highlighting areas in need of attention. Another region implemented a buddy system that matches CSOs to a designated staff member to whom they can transfer responsibility for files involving family members or friends. The standing committee believes a buddy system would also be helpful in peer mentoring and as a backup in case of absence or overload.
The Standing Committee on Government Operations concurs with the Auditor General of Canada and recommends that the Department of Education, Culture and Employment should ensure that regional managers and supervisors formally monitor client files. This monitoring should include regularly scheduled reviews of client files as well as the use of standard templates in all regions to help ensure a consistent approach. In cases where monitoring uncovers deficiencies or other issues, regional managers and supervisors should follow up formally.
The Auditor General also found that regional and community service centres set productive choice requirements inconsistently. CSOs in some regions thought 25 hours a month were required, while those in other regions thought no set hours were established. In some smaller communities, CSOs enforce a standard number of hours to avoid perceptions of unfairness.
The Standing Committee on Government Operations concurs with the Auditor General of Canada and recommends that the Department of Education, Culture and Employment should clarify program requirements for productive choices in its guidance to client service officers and clearly communicate them. Regional managers should also monitor compliance with productive choice requirements and take corrective action where necessary.
The standing committee considers that some flexibility is needed in the number of hours, because of differences in client’s abilities and difference in the choices available in communities. The committee’s main concern, however, was that the productive choices should be genuinely productive for the clients. They often are not, in Members’ experience. More guidance is needed for clients in what is expected of them when they undertake a productive choice such as education, training or, especially, volunteer work. In addition to the Auditor General’s recommendation, the committee would like to see a full evaluation of the productive choices component of the Income Assistance program.
Processes to identify and address inaccurate payments have not been followed
The Auditor General found that ECE had not developed a strategy or framework to identify files for compliance review and had reviewed files only after staff identified a problem or risk. ECE completed 72 file reviews in the three fiscal years from 2009-2010 to 2011-2012, mostly on income assistance files; three were student financial assistance files. No compliance reviews were done for Senior Home Heating Subsidy or Child Care User Subsidy.
The standing committee was pleased to hear that the department has made progress on a strategy and framework for file audits, and is now undertaking file compliance audits in one community per region each year.
The Standing Committee on Government Operations concurs with the Auditor General of Canada and recommends that, in accordance with its program requirements, the Department of Education, Culture and Employment should review a selection of income security files periodically, to ensure that clients receive benefits to which they are entitled. The department should establish a framework to identify files to audit, based on predetermined criteria. Results should be reported to the director of income security annually.
The Auditor General found that ECE has not been following required collection procedures for overpayments of income assistance and 1,620 clients have received overpayments over the last 10 years amounting to about $2 million. Only $880,000 of this overpayment had been collected by September 2012. The department deducts $25 per month from client benefits to recover overpayments. It does not collect from clients who are no longer on income assistance.
Finance has established a six-year statute of limitations for the collection of debts. There was 26 percent of clients who were overpaid who faced no collection activity in six years or more. These debts could be losses for ECE. The department does not report these debts in its annual financial statements. ECE says it does not follow the required procedure because the CMAS database does not have a trigger to set the process in motion. CMAS notifies the CSO of an overpayment but does not track the age of the debt.
The committee recognizes that the department is working on solutions to some of its collections issues and expects to see results by December 31, 2013.
The Standing Committee on Government Operations concurs with the Auditor General of Canada and recommends that when the Department of Education, Culture and Employment identifies income assistance overpayments, it should comply with the Financial Administration Manual requirements for collecting them. It should follow collection procedures by issuing invoices and written notifications, per the required schedule, and forward outstanding debts to the Department of Finance for collection when required.
Processes for managing remissible and repayable loans are incomplete
As of March 2012, $29.7 million in repayable student financial assistance loans was due to the department, and $6.4 million in remissible loans. The default rate for repayable loans was about 31 percent in 2012, according to the Auditor General. The committee is concerned at the high rate of default. Monitoring processes for student financial assistance loans rely on officials manually reviewing program reports and on the student or the educational institution notifying the department. There is a risk loans due for repayment may be missed.
The Standing Committee on Government Operations concurs with the Auditor General of Canada and recommends that the Department of Education, Culture and Employment should modify its management of student loans to ensure that identification of student loans due for repayment does not rely solely on student notification or manual review by officials.
Mr. Speaker, I will now turn over the report to the chair, Mr. Nadli.
Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. Mr. Nadli.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Front-line staff do not receive sufficient training
Income security programs and the ECE strategic plan require the department to train staff to fulfill their duties. CSOs must complete a two-week course to receive their statutory designation, with authority to assess client eligibility, evaluate their financial needs and issue payments. The CSOs had completed the course, but the department does not have an ongoing training and development program for CSOs. Student financial assistance case officers, for their part, receive a binder, but no formal training. The department has not fully assessed training needs of CSOs or SFA case officers.
The Standing Committee on Government Operations concurs with the Auditor General of Canada and recommends that the Department of Education, Culture and Employment should formalize current and future competency-based training programs for client service officers and student case officers. It should identify and provide core training so they can attain and maintain the competencies their job requires. The department should also ensure that staff members receive regular training updates, to ensure that they fully understand Income Security Program requirements.
The standing committee considers regular training opportunities to be especially important in view of the very high turnover rate for CSOs. The committee also expects the department to ensure that there is no interruption of service when staff are attending training. A backup system that is more than a 1-800 number is required.
The standing committee was reminded in a previous Auditor General’s report that effective program management requires that:
performance indicators and program standards are established;
performance is measured and monitored against standards; and
issues are identified and action taken to improve programs.
The second major question the Auditor General asked in this audit was whether ECE assessed the performance of its programs in order to ensure objectives are met. ECE’s efforts to assess program performance between January 2007 and September 2012 were examined, in order to include the 2007 reform initiative that emphasized new goals of self-reliance for clients.
The Auditor General found that the department regularly solicits input from clients on program performance.
The department conducts ongoing client satisfaction surveys. During the review, the committee learned that 73 percent of income assistance respondents were satisfied with programs and services, according to the latest survey results. Members do not see 73 percent as a very good result. The department must focus on good client service. The survey results are valuable performance measures, and the committee would like to ensure they are eventually made public.
However, there is limited assessment of program performance
The department collects some relevant information through CMAS, including client characteristics and numbers, spending, and variances in program use and spending by community and region. The Auditor General found, however, that the department does little to track results.
The department had not established any targets or outcome measures for three of the four income security programs audited. It had only one target for Income Assistance: reducing the number of recipients in the 19 to 29 age group by providing supports for education and training.
The standing committee learned during the hearing that approximately 30 percent of the Income Assistance caseload is made up of recipients on assistance for more than one year. Additional monitoring and reporting would be helpful in determining the reasons for such a high proportion of recipients on long-term assistance and evaluating the department’s success in meeting the self-reliance goal.
The department collects other information that could be used to measure whether Income Security objectives are being met; for example, the number of returning clients, length of time on benefits, and the number participating in productive choices. The department could also use info from its student financial assistance files to help determine the number of graduates.
In sum, the department has not formally evaluated the four programs to assess their performance, and ECE has not evaluated its success in meeting the new objective of client self-reliance since income security programs were restructured in 2007.
The Standing Committee on Government Operations concurs with the Auditor General of Canada and recommends that the Department of Education, Culture and Employment should:
establish targets and outcome measures that align with the overall objective for its income security programs;
review the data it currently collects on income security programs, to ensure it has the data required to measure whether targets and outcomes are being met; and
develop a plan to identify when it will evaluate its programs, to determine if the objective of its income security programs is being met.
The committee is encouraged that the Minister has accepted the Auditor General’s recommendations and that the department plans to implement them. Members are, nevertheless, convinced that ECE’s Income Security Program delivery and evaluation will improve only if the department’s senior management devotes sustained attention, over a period of years, to carrying out the planned reforms and creating an organizational culture of client service.
The standing committee remains deeply concerned by the findings of this audit. It is the Auditor General’s practice from time to time to review the results of past audits and report on whether recommendations are being implemented. The standing committee is hopeful that the Auditor General of Canada will conduct a follow-up audit of ECE’s income security programs at a suitable interval. Meanwhile, the committee expects the Department of Education, Culture and Employment to report on its implementation of the recommendations on an annual basis to the appropriate standing committee.
The Standing Committee on Government Operations recommends that the Department of Education, Culture and Employment report to the Standing Committee on Social Programs by April 30th each year on its progress in implementing the recommendations of the Auditor General and this House with respect to income security programs during the preceding fiscal year.
The committee believes the department is committed to change, and encourages its senior management to work consistently towards creating a far more client-centred and accountable organization for the delivery of vital income security programs.
The Standing Committee on Government Operations recommends that the government provide a comprehensive response to this report within 120 days.
Mr. Speaker, that concludes the report of the Standing Committee on Government Operations on the Review of the Auditor General of Canada on the 2013 Income Security Programs.
Thank you, Mr. Nadli. To the motion.
Question.
Question has been called.
---Carried
Committee Report 5-17(4) will be moved into Committee of the Whole for further consideration. Mr. Nadli.
Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to waive Rule 93(4) and move Committee Report 5-17(4) into Committee of the Whole for consideration today. Mahsi.
---Unanimous consent granted
Thank you, Mr. Nadli. Colleagues, I’m going to take a 15-minute break.
---SHORT RECESS
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to recognize two individuals who are on the Anti-Poverty Steering Committee, Ms. Bronwyn Watters and Ms. Julie Green, and thank you both so much for all the hard work you put into this strategy. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Abernethy. Mr. Hawkins.
Mr. Speaker, it gives me great pleasure to recognize the flood of seniors we have here today, recognizing the day it is. From the NWT Seniors Society, we have Barb Hood, executive director; Carly Aasen, project intern officer; Yvonne Quick, who is a program coordinator as well as an Arctic ambassador. Maureen Hall, also known passionately as Squeak, of course, is president of the Yellowknife Seniors’ Society. Marg Green is a member of the Yellowknife Seniors’ Society. We all call her Nana Marg, by the way. June Van Dine Arden is a board member of the Yellowknife Seniors’ Society. Kim Doyle, who is no stranger to Members here in the Assembly, is the executive director of the Seniors’ Society. Della Green is the coordinator of the Victim Services Program. Esther Braden is past-president of the Canadian Hard of Hearing Association chapter in Yellowknife.
I have a couple of other quick groups to recognize, some constituents in the gallery as well. I want to thank them, as Mr. Abernethy has said. Julie Green, thank you for staying, as well as Janice McKenna; and Status of Women, Lorraine Phaneuf and Annemieke Mulders.
The last group I’d like to recognize are Engineers Canada. They are having their national coordinating body for all engineer professions and they’re having their meeting here in Yellowknife. I think I have seen probably 40 or so, in that range, walking around the building. I want to thank them for coming to the Northwest Territories and let them know that there are many towns and special places outside of Yellowknife, so don’t be afraid to come back and visit them. Thank you again for choosing Yellowknife. They’re having their AGM on Saturday. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. Mr. Moses.
Mr. Speaker, I’d like to recognize my constituency assistant, Ms. Maia Lepage. I believe I did see her up in the stands earlier. She is also here chaperoning two Pages from Inuvik, Ms. Kyla Hvatum and Ms. Keisha Shaimaiyuk. They said they’ve been having a good time here in the capital as well as paging here in the Legislative Assembly. I’m really glad that they have had that experience and were able to come to Yellowknife and participate in the program. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Moses. Mr. Bromley.
I believe I still have some constituents from Weledeh in the House. Barb Hood, executive director of the NWT Seniors. I would also like to welcome the other seniors and other residents here. Aggie Brockman is here. Also Cominco, Greg Loftus, welcome, Greg. I would like to specially recognize my working partner for the last four years, my CA, Craig Yeo. Also, many of the seniors here that have been mentioned. Squeak is here. Welcome, Squeak. Also Marg Green, Della Green, Yvonne Quick. Esther Braden was here earlier. I don`t know whether she is still here. Lorraine Phaneuf, Annemieke Mulders. I won’t put her in the seniors’ category, but many of these are, of course, some are real workhorses for public interest and public health and benefit for our people. Julie Green is out here, so much work on the Anti-Poverty Strategy and other aspects. Bronwyn Watters as well. Welcome to all of those folks and any that I have missed.
I would also like to recognize the Engineers Canada. I understand they are going to have their Engineers Canada gala at the Weledeh School here in Weledeh on Saturday night. Welcome to Weledeh a little bit in advance there. Thank you for choosing Yellowknife. Mahsi.
Thank you, Mr. Bromley. Ms. Bisaro.
Thanks, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to recognize Jeff Corradetti, Frame Lake constituent. Thanks, Jeff, for coming to listen to us today. I would like to recognize the groups that came here, the seniors group that came. I don’t think I need to go through the names. I’d like to particularly mention the members of the steering committee for the Anti-Poverty Strategy who are here and thank them for their work, and the Status of Women Council group who are here. Thank you.
Thank you, Ms. Bisaro. I’d like to welcome everybody here and thank you for coming in for today’s proceedings.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today I’d like to acknowledge Frame Lake constituent Mr. Ian Legaree, director of sport, recreation and youth with our Department of Municipal and Community Affairs. Ian, yesterday, received the Dave Ramsden Career Excellence Award. This is the most prestigious of the awards presented at the annual Premier’s Awards ceremony and it recognizes the outstanding achievements of an individual with 20 or more years of experience in the GNWT public service. Congratulations, Ian. Well deserved.
Hear! Hear!
---Applause
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In my Member’s statement I talked about the bariatric surgery and my current situation. I have questions for the Minister of Health. I guess I’m basically looking for direction from the Minister of Health. Why does the GNWT not pay for bariatric surgery?
Thank you, Mr. Bouchard. The Minister of Health and Social Services, Mr. Beaulieu.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. At this time the bariatric surgery is not part of the formulary; however, it can be, depending on what type of programs the doctor will recommend to an individual that may require bariatric surgery, depending on the body mass index. So, based on that, there would be several programs an individual could go through and nutrition programs, a routine that they would have to go through in order to become eligible for bariatric surgery. Thank you.
