Debates of May 17, 2007 (day 9)

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.