Thank you, Mr. Speaker. During my Member’s statement today I talked about the issue of performance audits. What I really wanted to try to characterize is the fact that performance audits are actually like a barometer test. They tell you how healthy an organization is by looking at how the organization deals with its policies and are we getting value for money.
So, Mr. Speaker, my question goes to the newly minted Finance Minister. I’m curious if he understands the importance of the issue I’m raising, and would he be willing to implement a Crown corporation accountability act along with the updating of the GNWT’s FAA, the Financial Administration Act.
Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. The honourable Minister of Finance, Mr. Miltenberger.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I don’t feel that I’m newly minted. I’ve been the Minister now for four months, and I’ve had four months of hard riding on me. I feel I’m, I think, ready to roll — seasoned, as the Member says.
The issue of performance reviews. There are annual financial audits done. We have the ability though motions and requests to get the Auditor General in to look at Crown corporations. We’ve just structured a program review committee in government that’s going to start looking at the operations of government. As well, we have the opportunity, as has been mentioned in this House and spoken to by the Premier, the Minister responsible for the Power Corporation, to take a look at the very fundamental operations of the Power Corporation and how we generate and distribute electricity and how we’re structured across the board for that particular service, including the regulatory regime. I think we have many opportunities.
Usually performance audits are specifically set up with a specific terms of reference. If the Member is talking about an annual process or a semi-annual process, we’d have to talk about that.
Mr. Speaker, I promised to be nice to the Minister because his little brother was in the gallery. I may not have used “seasoned.” I normally would have used “galvanized” or “crusty” Minister. But for the sake of being nice, of course, I won’t say those words today.
I’m asking for a reasonable time, value for money audit. The Auditor General does a value for money audit on the federal departments in between five and ten year blocks. That’s the kind of thing I’m suggesting. I wouldn’t suggest we do one every week, every year, every two years. Then they build up a program, and if the Crown corporation is working healthy, they push it back on the list. That’s what I’m asking for.
Would the Minister hear my call on this initiative for value for money audits and take a look at this and see if we could possibly implement something?
Mr. Speaker, I arise galvanized by my colleague’s questions to respond with alacrity and great definity.
Mr. Speaker, we have the opportunity, through the strategic plans…. For example, the Housing Corporation has just incorporated an accompanying action plan to look at having that built in. The government is moving, too, across the board for all the departments to have strategic plans. I’m sure they’re the same discussions we had in regard to the Power Corporation, and that is what is deemed beneficial or essential. So I think the opportunity’s there to look at those processes, especially if it’s tied into a regular strategic planning process and renewal process of that strategic plan.
Mr. Speaker, I didn’t hear an outright no, but it sure sounded like one slipped in there somehow.
Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the Minister citing a strategic plan, but the problem is it’s not a strategic plan issue; it’s an accountability factor that could be built into legislation, and the legislation could be amended to reflect this issue specifically and on the appropriateness.
Would the Minister of Finance be willing to look at this issue and work with the Auditor General’s office? The Edmonton office has offered their resources to help with this type of program. Would he be willing to look at that and bring something back to this House to address this need of value for money audits?
Mr. Speaker, my assumption was that I was stating quite unequivocally that there’s an opportunity here through the strategic planning process that departments are moving to and that corporations like the Housing Corporation have moved to, to build that process in. If that is something that is deemed appropriate, through the discussions in the House and as we go through the business planning process in the coming week, and that is an issue that has value enough built into the way we do business, then the opportunity is there through that process. As I understood the Member to say, in his mind he thought it would be every four to five years.
Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Final, short supplementary, Mr. Hawkins.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Can I get a commitment and recognition from the Minister that the NWTAC has requested the Auditor General’s office, through a letter to all Members of the Assembly, that the NWT Power Corp go through a value for money audit? Would the Minister be willing to commit to follow up on this issue? Recognizing that even though the Power Corp doesn’t necessarily fall under his portfolio, I think sound fiscal management falls on his shoulders. Therefore, I hope he would lead the charge in recognition of this difficult problem. Would he be willing to follow up on it?
The Premier is the Minister responsible for the Power Corporation and has already indicated through questions in the House — and it’s been well discussed with Members in other settings — that there’s an opportunity here, as we look at the electrical rate review, the energy strategy and all the energy priorities that we’re developing, to take a very fundamental look at the Power Corporation — the regulatory regime, how we generate and distribute electricity. I think that opportunity is there. Through that process, if a regular, built in review is deemed appropriate, that would be the venue to in fact have that built in.
Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. The honourable Member for Tu Nedhe, Mr. Beaulieu.
