Debates of May 17, 2007 (day 9)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The committee is very appreciative of the role that foster parents play in ensuring that children can grow and prosper in a caring environment. Enough cannot be said about the people that are willing to take children into their homes on a moment’s notice. They are a vital part in the delivery of social services in the Northwest Territories and need to be recognized and supported as such.

Part of Supplementary Appropriation No. 1, 2007-2008 is $1.011 million for increases to the basic maintenance rate and to increase the age of child rate. This will result in increases of up to $18 per day in some communities for the basic maintenance rate, and for the age of child amount $4 for children up to the age of five, $3 for children up to the age of 12 and $5 for children up to the age of 18.

These increases recognize the cost of living in our communities and also recognize the different costs associated with children of different ages.

The committee is sure that these increases will help cover the costs for existing foster families and possibly encourage some families who could not afford to continue at the existing rates.

It is not clear that there will be any effect on the number of foster homes in the NWT.

The committee recommends the department work towards increasing the number of foster homes in the NWT and that a plan, complete with numbers of existing foster homes, targeted increases and required resources be presented to the Standing Committee on Social Programs as part of the 2009-2010 business plans.

Mr. Speaker, the committee would like to thank all those who spoke at our hearings and raised their concerns with the application of the Child and Family Services Act. We look forward to the government’s response to this report.

The Standing Committee on Social Programs recommends the government provide a comprehensive response to this report within 120 days.

Mr. Speaker, at this time, I'd like to pass it back to the chair of our committee and the Member for Range Lake, Ms. Lee.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. That concludes the Report of the Standing Committee on Social Programs on Matters Related to the Child and Family Services Act. Therefore, I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Sahtu, that Committee Report 3-15(6), be received and moved into Committee of the Whole for consideration. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Ms. Lee. The motion is on the floor. Motion is in order. All those in favour? All those opposed? The motion is carried.

---Carried

Honourable Member for Range Lake, Ms. Lee.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to waive Rule 93(4) and have Committee Report 3-15(6) be moved into Committee of the Whole for today. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, our colleague Mr. Braden is the chair of the AFS Interculture Program here in Yellowknife, and he has today invited a number of participants in that program to visit us in the Legislative Assembly. These are students who are visiting from other countries and attending school at Sir John Franklin. Mr. Speaker, the resident from Frame Lake who is here today -- at least temporarily from Frame Lake, he's actually from Denmark -- is Mr. Emil Madsen. He's hosted by Peter and Jenni Bannon.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Honourable Member for Mackenzie Delta, Mr. Krutko.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, it's not too often I get to recognize my constituency assistant, so I'd just like to take this time to recognize Sue-Ellen Wilson from Fort McPherson, who is my constituency assistant who has been here this week chaperoning the Pages. I'd also like to recognize a former constituent from Tsiigehtchic, Ms. Norwegian. She's just back from her studies in Winnipeg in regards to aboriginal self-government, so I'd like to welcome her back to Yellowknife.

---Applause

Recognition of visitors in the gallery. The honourable Member for Yellowknife Centre, Mr. Hawkins.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have a couple of people to recognize. The first one I'd like to recognize is Ms. Phila Fyten. She's a very involved constituent in our community. I, too, wish to acknowledge the AFS student living in the riding with Sue and Norm Glowach, and the young lady's name is Letizia Foracchia. I hope that's close enough. She's staying with Norm and Sue Glowach, who are a generous family, well-known for taking in many adventurous students through the AFS Program. So thank you to them and welcome.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. The honourable Member for Deh Cho, Mr. McLeod.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, it's always a pleasure to recognize our former Speaker from Fort Providence, Sam Gargan, and also a former resident of Fort Providence who got swept off her feet downstream and ended up in Tulita, Cheryl Yakeleya. I'd like to welcome them both, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. The honourable Member for Hay River South, Mrs. Groenewegen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to recognize the Pages from Hay River South who have been serving in the Legislature this week: J.J. McKinney and Joseph Lirette. Also in the visitor's gallery today, Mr. Tom Lakusta and his son, Adam, and again my constituency assistant, Wendy Morgan. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Honourable Member for Sahtu, Mr. Yakeleya.

Mr. Speaker, I want to recognize two of the Pages from Norman Wells that are here to join us: Joel Erb and Kacee Hunter. They are both from Norman Wells Mackenzie Mountain School, and they did a fine job of looking after us.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I also want to recognize the love of my life. I love you, hon, and she certainly swept me off my feet from the Deh Cho, because there was no bridge.

---Laughter

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. The honourable Member for Yellowknife South, Mr. Bell.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would also like to recognize another student with the AFS Interculture Program, but also thank Mr. Braden for his volunteer work with this organization, hosted by the Wetmores in my constituency. There is Hiu Ying Lau. I have been getting some coaching from Member Hawkins who tells me that Lai Hoa means hello. So, hello.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. Bell. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. The honourable Member for Great Slave, Mr. Braden.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Yes, I appreciate the acknowledgement of my colleagues in the involvement that I have been very pleased to have with this exchange student. So it is certainly a pleasure to recognize Mr. Emil Madsen, Miss Letizia Foracchia and Miss Hiu Ying Lau. I would also like to recognize a resident of my constituency, at least on a temporary basis, Miss Jessica Monnaie, who is from Belgium, not an official exchange student but very much one of our community. She is staying with her aunt, Ms. Nancy Trotter. Of course, Mr. Speaker, I would be remiss if I did not recognize another constituent and a very loyal companion of mine, my constituency assistant, Mr. John Argue.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, Mary Heron, a respected elder of the Salt River First Nations and a constituent who I have known since I was but a wee lad, has recently reached the important milestone of 80 years.

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Mr. Speaker, this important accomplishment and milestone will be celebrated this Sunday out at Fort Fitzgerald by family and friends. I would like to extend my congratulations to her and her family and wish Mary many more years of good health and happiness. Thank you.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Acknowledgements. The honourable Member for Nunakput, Mr. Pokiak.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise today to recognize and acknowledge the accomplishment of Ms. Liz Kuptana of Paulatuk. I understand Liz Kuptana, language and culture instructor at Angik School in Paulatuk, will be retiring as the language and culture instructor after 20 years of service.

Today, on behalf of the students and parents of Paulatuk, I would like to thank Ms. Kuptana on her dedication and keeping the strong tradition and instruction of the Inuvialuit language alive to the students of Angik School. I know she will be missed by the students of Angik School. In closing, I wish her well in her retirement, because she deserves it. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my questions are for the Minister of Human Resources. Mr. Speaker, as I said in my Member’s statement, members of the public service of the Government of the Northwest Territories are entitled and should expect that the information that they provide to their employer will be treated with respect and it will be kept private and used only for the purpose it is intended.

Mr. Speaker, on Tuesday, May 15, 2007, I asked Minister Dent if there had been a breach of security of information of a private nature for members of the public service through the PeopleSoft program. The Minister said no. Today, again, I ask Minister Dent if there has been a breach of private information of GNWT employees from the PeopleSoft program. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. The honourable Minister of Human Resources, Mr. Dent.

Return To Question 104-15(6): Security Breach Of GNWT PeopleSoft Human Resources System

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As the Member noted earlier this week, I informed her that there had been no problems with information access of the PeopleSoft system after the implementation of self-service function for departments. However, since that time, I have been informed that there were some problems with the information access during the initial rollout of the program in some departments. These problems were dealt with quickly as soon as they were identified. Mr. Speaker, I intend to follow up with my department on this issue and determine how we can ensure that these types of issues do not arise again and I will report back to Members on the results of my inquiry. I would like to thank the honourable Member for bringing this issue to my attention. Mr. Speaker, I apologize for any miscommunication on my part.

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Supplementary, Mrs. Groenewegen.

Supplementary To Question 104-15(6): Security Breach Of GNWT PeopleSoft Human Resources System

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I fully assume that when the Minister informed us that there had been no breach of information, was what was in his knowledge at that time. However, that raises other questions. Mr. Speaker, I called the Minister a month ago. Other Members called the Minister and inquired when we had begun to hear about this breach. Then I again asked, on the record in this House, and I thought that surely after asking in the public that somebody in the Minister’s office or in the Minister’s department would have taken the opportunity to set the record straight and have the Minister then correct that information the next day in the House. Even after I asked Minister Dent again last night, no attempt was made by anyone in his department to correct this misinformation. This is typical of the way the Human Resources treats members of the public service when it comes to their benefits, pensions, leaves, records of employment and now the security of the information that they provide to this government.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to ask the Minister how it is that, after being inquired about this for over a month and then stating on the public record, that no one in the Minister’s department corrected the record? Did they not know? Thank you.

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. Mr. Dent.

Further Return To Question 104-15(6): Security Breach Of GNWT PeopleSoft Human Resources System

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I intend to follow up on this issue with some detail. Again, I will advise Members of what I am able to find out. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Supplementary, Mrs. Groenewegen.

Supplementary To Question 104-15(6): Security Breach Of GNWT PeopleSoft Human Resources System

Mr. Speaker, I would hope that the Minister would treat this as a matter of some urgency and some importance. I think this shows great disrespect to our public servants if we do not do that. Mr. Speaker, I know that MLAs' information was included in there too, but I am not so concerned about that; I am concerned about the people in the public service who have had this information out there. I do not believe it was out there for a short period of time. I think it was out there for a three-week period. I would ask the Minister to check into that. I would be very interested in hearing back. I expect that there will be consequences for misinformation and the lack of information provided to the Minister on the part of the people in the Department of Human Resources.

Mr. Speaker, during this time of breach and during this time that there was access available to this information, is it possible that this information, including bank accounts, social insurance numbers, private home addresses, could have been downloaded? Thank you.

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. Mr. Dent.

Further Return To Question 104-15(6): Security Breach Of GNWT PeopleSoft Human Resources System

Mr. Speaker, I don’t believe that it was possible that this information could have been downloaded, but I will ascertain that and again make sure that that information is passed on to Members.

Mr. Speaker, I am very concerned that information that should not have been available to all of the employees in the public service was available. It is important to note, too, that this wasn’t a public breach. While it is right, the information should not have been available, I want to make sure that all employees understand that this information was not available on the Internet to the members of the public. Any information that was able to be seen was only by the people who had taken an oath of office. I know that isn’t going to satisfy or mitigate the issue that this information was available, but I want to make sure that people understand this wasn’t broadly available to the public. I don’t believe that it was available for three weeks, at this point. I will, however, ensure that a very detailed review of this matter is taken. I have promised and will report to all Members on what I find.

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Final supplementary, Mrs. Groenewegen.

Supplementary To Question 104-15(6): Security Breach Of GNWT PeopleSoft Human Resources System

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I think that the Minister not being informed of this by people in his department is a great sign of disrespect for him, and disrespect for Members of this House, and disrespect for the public servants. I would like to ask the Minister, what is he prepared to do in the event of this information where he was allowed to stand up and publicly make a declaration in this House to me that there was no breach and not one person from his department called him to correct the record? What is he prepared to do about it? Thank you.

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. Mr. Dent.

Further Return To Question 104-15(6): Security Breach Of GNWT PeopleSoft Human Resources System

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as I have said, we agree that this is a serious issue, the issue around access to the records and how the information has failed. We will look at that. I will report back to the Member.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Just with what I mentioned earlier in my Member’s statement, I just want to ask the Minister responsible for the Housing Corporation if his point of view is the same as mine, that elders know what is best for elders, especially in our smaller communities. The elders in the seniors' society in Fort Resolution went to great lengths to acquire property, get the Housing Corporation on side to move forward on an initiative of building a seniors' independent living six-plex and now it has been put on the back burner by the Housing Corporation. I just want to ask the Minister of Housing why all of a sudden there are some barriers put up by the regional office for the seniors to go out and seek more support letters from people they already had support letters from. Why is that happening, Mr. Speaker? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Villeneuve. Honourable Minister responsible for the Housing Corporation, Mr. Handley.

Return To Question 105-15(6): Housing Complex For Deninu Kue Seniors

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This project has not been put on the back burner. Mr. Speaker, it changed from some singles housing and some housing for families to a six-plex for seniors at the request of the seniors.

What that does, Mr. Speaker, because of the limited amount of housing, is it does limit the options for single people and for families and has housing dedicated for seniors. We asked the seniors whether in the event there weren’t enough seniors to occupy all of the new six-plex units at some point in the future, would they make the units then available to other singles or couples based on a waiting list. Mr. Speaker, the Deninu Kue First Nation, the seniors' society and the community council all replied that this was not a problem for them. We are only waiting now for the Fort Resolution Metis Council to give us the green light. I understand they are meeting on May 24th and the project is a go. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Handley. Supplementary, Mr. Villeneuve.

Supplementary To Question 105-15(6): Housing Complex For Deninu Kue Seniors

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I just want to get back, I don’t know if when the seniors went out, they researched properties that might have been available. They went to the landowner, they got them to get in contact with the Housing Corporation to build a six-plex. To me, it’s always been a six-plex right from day one. This is part of the affordable housing initiative. The seniors did assure the Housing Corporation that we have a list of 97 seniors whose average age is 68 years old in the community. Many of them are waiting to get into the seniors’ six-plex, so you can rest assured that there is always a long waiting list for that. Is the Minister’s department going to start the…I am sure they have a letter from the Metis already confirming their support for the six-plex, so why do we have to again start circulating support letters back to the department when they already have the support letters in place to originally get this thing off the ground? Why do they need another letter from all these organizations, Mr. Speaker? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Villeneuve. Mr. Handley.

Further Return To Question 105-15(6): Housing Complex For Deninu Kue Seniors

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We have pretty well everything in place. The only piece of information we don’t have is agreement from the Metis council that in the event we don’t have seniors to occupy the units, that they would agree to have the units occupied either by a single person or by a couple based on a waiting list, Mr. Speaker. So if we get that one piece of information so there is no misunderstanding down the road, and this project is ready to go. As I said, the meeting is being held next week and I don’t see any reason for any delay beyond that. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Handley. Supplementary, Mr. Villeneuve.

Supplementary To Question 105-15(6): Housing Complex For Deninu Kue Seniors