Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the Minister's plan is going to provide the lowest common denominator of early childhood education, where there will only be junior kindergarten and plain daycare. An alternative to this would be to provide a subsidy for each child of four years of age rather than to a whole program. I asked him if he would examine this option, which on the face of it would save a lot of money -- it is less than half the cost of having a child in a school classroom -- and report on his research, but I haven't heard back. Does this research exist? Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As the Minister responsible for Public Education, we have to provide the same programs and services to all communities across the Northwest Territories. As I mentioned, I can't look into the future and see where parents are going to put their children in terms of early childhood programming. What we are doing is we are addressing the needs of four-year-olds right across the territory, and we are going to continue to do that.
Masi. Oral questions. Member for Hay River North.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As far as the Department of Justice is concerned, the only benefit from the A New Day program has been to the 12 men who have completed the program start to finish. The department gives no weight to the benefits to the men who didn't graduate but who will attest that they can better control their anger and that they've slowed their drinking and that their lives are just generally better after participating in the program. It doesn't consider the fact that A New Day is the only program available in remand. So what the department has done is structure the RFP to eliminate all these qualities and really sterilize it making it more palatable to government.
So my first question. The first point of contact for the program will be a GNWT coordinator. I said that accessibility is one of the strengths of the current program, so I'm interested to find out: where will this coordinator be located? Is it in the courthouse? Do people have to go to the courthouse to sign up for the program now? How will that initial contact take place? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Minister of Justice.
Yes, Mr. Speaker, I can advise this House that the coordinator will be located in GNWT offices. I don't think an actual address has yet to be determined; however, we did hear from contractors during the evaluation of this program that the administrative work was a burden, and for that reason it was decided to have a GNWT coordinator so that burden would be lifted from the deliverers of the program. Thank you.
So far, it's not looking good. The evaluation of the program which we eagerly awaited last sitting states that probation services were particularly emphatic about the usefulness of the program and the importance of it. However, the RFP appears to indicate that the program will not accept referrals from outside agencies like Probation Services. Is this in fact the case?
I'm not absolutely sure about that. My impression would be that they would be accepting referrals from outside agencies, but I will look into that and get back to the Member opposite.
Oh for two. The program currently incorporates traditional knowledge and elders. Will there be a similar cultural component to this program? Because, again, the RFP is silent on this.
I can advise that the coordinator will actively support facilitators to include cultural supports in the delivery of the program, including connection with elders.
Masi. Oral questions. Member for Hay River North.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. A very bureaucratic answer. It's a ball. Two strikes and a ball; how about that?
---Laughter
The RFP is virtually silent as to what the new program will look like. It states that the information on the model of the long-term program is attached in Schedule A, but all I can find is a blank page that says "Appendix A" at the top. So can the Minister commit to immediately making the details of this program public? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I've not had an opportunity to review the request for proposals. I am confident, however, that all the necessary information is in the request for proposals. I have a competent staff; they spent considerable amount of time preparing this and I am content that the RFP does set out what is required by potential contractors.
Masi. Oral questions. Member for Kam Lake.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, government procurement often comes up in my discussions with constituents, and particularly in supporting our economy, and our government has recognized that government procurement is an important driver. So now that the Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment also has the responsibility for the Department of Transportation, soon to be the Department of Infrastructure, all under one roof will he commit to a comprehensive procurement reform for the Northwest Territories that involves stakeholders and creates a better system of government procurement? Thank you
Masi. Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I don't believe I need to commit to that because I believe we have a robust system that's in place and procurement is well-documented in the Government of the Northwest Territories. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I think some business people might disagree, and certainly it's good but that doesn't mean it stops there. Good is the enemy of great, and I think we deserve a world-class procurement system.
So will the Minister commit to establishing a committee of businesspeople and procurement experts to evaluate objectively our procurement system here in the Northwest Territories?
As I've said, I believe we have a robust, great procurement system in the Northwest Territories. As long as I've been the Minister, I have not had any complaints around the procurement or the process in the Northwest Territories and I will not commit to that.
Can the Minister tell us what is the complaint process for procurement in the Northwest Territories? How do people complain about our procurement system?
We're a small territory. Like everybody else in the Northwest Territories, if they have a complaint they either go to their MLA or go directly to the Minister.
Masi. Oral questions. Member for Kam Lake.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. By the same token, perhaps my constituents aren't complaining directly to the Minister because they don't feel like they can. So will the Minister commit to establishing an arm's-length body that can properly assess whether or not our procurement system is maximizing the benefits it delivers to our economy and to Northerners? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I don't know how many creative ways I've got to say this. I said I believe our system is fine, it's working. The latest thing I can remember on the procurement side of things is we heard from businesses and industries in the Northwest Territories when we raised the sole-source amount from $5,000 to $25,000; but, like I said, I haven't had any complaints since I've been the Minister of Public Works.
Masi. Oral questions. Item 8, written questions. Member for Yellowknife Centre.
Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to return to item number 5 on the order paper. Thank you.
---Unanimous consent granted
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you, colleagues. Mr. Speaker, we have been joined by several members of the Family Violence Coalition of the NWT, including David Wasylciw, Sami Thomas, Annemieke Mulders and Lyda Fuller. I'd like to welcome them to the House to hear our discussions. Thank you.
Masi. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Member for Frame Lake.
Merci, Monsieur le President. I'd like to recognize Lyda Fuller; she's a constituent of mine. She is also the Executive Director of the Yellowknife YWCA. Welcome to the House.
Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to present a petition dealing with the matter of funding for junior kindergarten and other options for families.
Mr. Speaker, the petition contains 184 electronic signatures of Northwest Territories residents and, Mr. Speaker, the petitioners request that the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment provide flexible, real choices for parents of four-year-olds by ensuring that all options for children are properly funded and that the money follows the child in whatever option is chosen. The petitioners also ask the Minister to fully fund junior kindergarten and other options so there are no negative impacts on the rest of the Northwest Territories' education system. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. WHEREAS the Legislative Assembly identified a number of priority actions including fostering healthy families by focusing on wellness prevention and improved nutrition as well as creating opportunities for healthy lifestyles and community leadership for youth;
AND WHEREAS Petition 6-18(2): Elimination of time change in the Northwest Territories was presented to the House on Tuesday, March 7, 2017, and contained over 500 electronic signatures of territorial residents;
AND WHEREAS academic research has demonstrated that there may be negative effects on both the mind and body associated with changes to and from Daylight Savings Time;
AND WHEREAS the study and analysis of issues related to the bi-annual daylight time changes can be addressed in greater detail by a committee of this Legislative Assembly;
AND WHEREAS regulations to address any variance from Mountain Standard Time to allow for the use of Daylight Savings Time are set in accordance with terms contained in the Interpretation Act;
AND WHEREAS the Interpretation Act is administered by the Department of Justice, which is one of the departments considered by the Standing Committee on Social Development;
NOW THEREFORE I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Yellowknife North, that the Assembly refer Petition 6-18(2): Elimination of Time Change in the Northwest Territories to the Standing Committee on Social Development for a comprehensive review and that the standing committee report back to this Assembly at their earliest opportunity. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. The motion is in order. To the motion.
Question.
Question has been called. The motion is carried.
---Carried
Petition 6-18(2) is now referred to standing committee. Masi. Motions. Item 18, first reading of bills. Item 19, second reading of bills. Item 20, consideration in Committee of the Whole of bills and other matters, Committee Report 7-18(2), Committee Report 9-18(2).
Before I move on, I'd like to recognize Professor Graham White of the University of Toronto who is here with us today. He is one of the most well-known scholars of our consensus-style government and a friend to the North. Welcome. Masi.
---Applause
I will now call Committee of the Whole to order. What is the wish of committee, Mr. Beaulieu?
Marci cho, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, committee wishes to consider Committee Report 7-18(2), Report on the Review of Members' Conduct Guidelines. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu. Does committee agree?
Agreed.
Thank you, committee. We will consider the document after a brief recess.
---SHORT RECESS
I will call committee of the Whole back to order. Committee, we have agreed to consider Committee Report 7-18(2), Report on the Review of Members' Conduct Guidelines. I will turn to the chair of the Standing Committee on Rules and Procedures for opening comments. Mr. O'Reilly.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. On February 28, 2017, the Standing Committee on Rules and Procedures presented its Report on the Review of Member's Conduct Guidelines titled "You Are Standing for Your People." The report contained six recommendations to strengthen the standards of conduct for both candidates and Members of the Northwest Territories Legislative Assembly and increase Members' accountability to the public.
The committee advises changes to the Elections and Plebiscites Act, changes to the Executive Council and Legislative Assembly Act, a new oath of office, a more enforceable code of conduct, expansion of the Conflict of Interest Commissioner's duties to include matters of conduct and ethics, and a public review of the conflict of interest provisions in the Legislative Assembly and Executive Council Act.
Our in-depth review has taken over a year to complete. It included research on the strengths and weaknesses of our current system of government and elections by comparison with other jurisdictions in light of our history and social conditions. We canvassed relevant national, territorial, and municipal legislation. Much of this work was discussed in the committee's interim report tabled in October 2016.
A public discussion paper was released before public hearings were held in Hay River, Inuvik, and Yellowknife in November and December 2016. The committee benefited from very insightful public input. This stimulated additional research the committee required to fully consider public submissions and options for improving our standards of conduct and accountability. Of course, the committee worked closely with the law clerk to ensure that recommended changes to the legislation are feasible and practical from a legal perspective.
The committee believes that, by adopting its six recommendations, our Assembly will strengthen our system of consensus government and set enforceable standards of conduct as good or better than any in Canada. Most importantly, these recommendations are truly made-in-the-North and inspired by the needs and aspirations of our territory.
We have before us today a tremendous opportunity for positive change. Committee members thank everyone who participated in its public hearings on this matter and all who submitted written comments. Your advice was vital in guiding the report we will discuss today. Mahsi, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Mr. O'Reilly. I would like to introduce Deputy Law Clerk Alyssa Holland. Any legal questions that may arise, you may direct them to her through me. I will now open up the floor to general comments on Committee Report 7-18(2). Do we have general comments? Premier.
