I appreciate that information. I think the time has come to start that work of putting those guidelines in place. My next question is whether there is a formal chain of custody for artwork so that, when they come into the government's possession, they are tracked from the time that they come in to the time that they are disposed of, sold, given away, or in other ways come out of the government collection.
No, there is not right now. The government has a lot of artwork. There are a lot of government buildings, and they have lots of things on the walls. That means there is artwork that could be worth virtually nothing, and there could be some large pieces, like the Member has referenced, that could be worth quite a bit. There was an inventory taken by ITI, I believe, about 10 years ago, that looked at all of this, but nothing has been done since. I think the reason for that is because this massive artwork, it would cost more than all of the work combined is worth to inventory it, so I think that what is needed is a focus and identification of some of these special pieces and a system put in place to ensure that we know where those are and that, once they are done their useful life within the government, they can be preserved either by the museum or an appropriate organization.
Thank you, Minister. Oral questions. Member for Yellowknife Centre.
Yes, thank you, Mr. Speaker. I appreciate that answer. You know, I am going to say that every artist who does a commission or makes a donation of art to the government feels that the piece is special, so deciding on which pieces are special I think is going to be somewhat problematic. However, I think we owe it to these artists to acknowledge their work in the government's possession, to take care of it, and to make sure that it is stored appropriately when it's not displayed or even that it's displayed appropriately. I am looking for a commitment to begin work on this whole area of managing public art as soon as possible. Thank you.
Certainly, commissioned art is different from something that someone might buy at the store to fill an empty wall, and there is not much consideration put into that piece of art. No, it is a different level that the Member is talking about. I will work with the Minister of Infrastructure. The department has some expertise in asset management and combine that with the expertise that we have in the culture and heritage division and see what we can do to remedy this problem because it is a shame when you see a piece of art that means a lot to a lot of people buried under the snow and degrading away like that. Yes, I can commit to having those discussions and charting a path forward. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Minister. Oral questions. Member for Yellowknife North.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In the previous Assembly, we had a Minister responsible for public engagement and transparency, and I think we can all acknowledge that those are severely lacking in the GNWT and much work needs to be done. Mr. Speaker, some good work was started. There was an open government policy. However, I think the implementation and the continued work under that policy has not been carried on in this Assembly. My question for the Premier: is she willing to create a Minister responsible for transparency and open government? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Member for Yellowknife North. Honourable Premier.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As the Member said in the 18th Legislative Assembly, there was a Minister appointed, just in that Assembly, for transparency. The Minister developed a policy, and in all honesty, the Minister got blamed for everything in that Assembly. In reality, it is that every department has a responsibility, and every Minister has a responsibility for transparency. However, in saying that, I know the federal government is doing that, as well. We're a small jurisdiction. We're 19, seven on Cabinet. I would have a portfolio and a Minister for everything if I had the resources, but I don't. I hate to say this because I'm a social worker, that there would be other things that I would appoint Ministers for on top of that, in honesty, because there are so many gaps in our government.
However, what we've done recently is that we created a branch within the Department of Finance. It's called the Information Systems Shared Services. Through the creation of this branch, the GNWT consolidated the responsibility for all GNWT information systems, including what the federal government calls their digital government under the chief information officer. As I mentioned, the information shared systems is housed in the Department of Finance. I am not making her the Minister of transparency or accountability, but by default, she is actually the Minister. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I believe, in the future, I will direct my questions to the Minister of Finance. I do think that the centralization of ISSS will bring some of this work, but ultimately, they need to reach in the departments. Each Minister needs to be responsible for this. I think COVID has shown us that more and more government data needs to be public, and more and more services need to be online. One of the things that should come out of this: every single government service should be available online eventually. Is the Minister willing to put that in mandate letters to department that they work to bring all their services available online?
At this point, the mandate letters should have been in the process of being shared with MLAs, so I am not going to pull them all back from you and start adding things. I made a commitment, though, to the Regular Members that I would be open to feedback, not that I would make changes, but I'd be open to feedback. If that is something that the Member feels that should be on those, then I would welcome that feedback on those mandate letters.
That will be my feedback, that the mandate letters need a clear direction to get departments to make this a priority because when it sits on the side of different units' desks, it simply doesn't get done. My next question is: if the federal government has a pilot project open by default, this would take our records and make them open to the public, essentially our DIM system. I think it would also incentivize departments to prioritize record keeping. Is the Premier willing to keep a similar pilot project in the GNWT?
I do have to use some notes for this. We all have strengths and weaknesses, and the Members know that this is not my strength. I'm using help. As the Information System Shared Services branch moves forward with developing, formalizing the GNWT's approach to delivery of services, consideration will be given to how we can make government documents available online. This work will be informed by the GNWT's open government policy and our obligation and responsibilities under the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act. In saying that, Mr. Speaker, I do have to acknowledge that all departments are trying their best to put as much information as possible. We are in an unusual situation in these times of COVID-19, so I do ask to be patient. Don't expect everything to be on tomorrow. When there are gaps, also, at the same time, let us know because we are trying our best, all government departments. Let us know, and we will try to amend it.
Thank you, Honourable Premier. Final supplementary. Member for Yellowknife North.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. There are gaps. I think one of the gaps is we have that open policy, and that work was started by the previous Minister of transparency and engagement. That work has largely not been actualized. I'm unsure if the responsibility of that policy lies with ISSS. Can the Premier make sure that there is a unit where someone is clearly in charge of implementing the goals in the open government policy which was developed? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I must say that we have an amazing Cabinet here. As soon as the question was asked, I've seen my Finance Minister shaking her head and saying, "I agree." Yes, we will make that commitment. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Honourable Premier. Oral questions. Member for Frame Lake.
Merci, Monsieur le President. My question is for the Minister of Finance responsible for the Mackenzie Valley fibre optic link. My statement earlier today recounted how the expense was justified to this House as a means of connecting our communities to faster and more reliable Internet services. All of the references portray the project as delivering high speed Internet services in the communities, not a mile away with $1 million hook-up cost. Can the Minister explain why the promised improvements to Internet services in the communities along the fibre link has not happened? Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Member for Frame Lake. Minister of Finance.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yes, Mr. Speaker, the Mackenzie Valley fibre link is essentially the highway that makes it possible for these communities to have access to high speed Internet. Without that highway, there would be no opportunity for these communities to have access. Right now, Fort Simpson, Wrigley, Tulita, Norman Wells, Fort Good Hope, and Inuvik, all have a point of access inside those communities, directly inside those communities. The GNWT, the role that we had was in terms of providing that highway. We are the owner of that highway. We are not the Internet service provider, so we're not necessarily, then, going to take it from the point of access and run the line into somebody's home.
We are, however, also a consumer inside those communities, meaning that we take it from the point of access in the community, bring it into schools, bring it into healthcare centres, and bring it into government offices. Quite frankly, Mr. Speaker, there has been tremendous improvement because the ability of all of those government services now is to access high speed Internet. It is in those communities. We are not the service provider. We are also an advocate to support the Internet service providers so that they can, then, provide that last mile of connectivity between the point of access into homes. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I want to thank the Minister for that. I agree with her assessment, but the problem was that this project was sold to the House, to the public, as a way to allow for individuals, households in the communities to get access to high speed Internet. It hasn't panned out. Given that the promise was to have services in the communities, what steps will the Minister take now to deliver on that promise and literally go the extra mile to ensure that the improvements of Internet service actually happen?
In addition to being the owner of the main highway that brings that link all the way up and brings that point of access and, in additional, being the consumer that helps make it attractive to Internet service providers once they're in that community, there are two other roles, I think, that the government is playing and must continue to play, and needs to, certainly, do a very good job of playing as we've all realized how important Internet services are in our homes. That is as an advocate and as a supporter.
As an advocate, both at the federal government level, in terms of going in, this is a priority for the federal government, as well. It is important that they understand and realize that this is going to leave us behind if we don't have access to Internet in the homes of everyone. It is not enough to have it at the school; you need to now have it in your home, as well. We are an important advocate. I spoke earlier, very recently, at the federal finance committee's opportunity to speak there, and this is one of the things that I recommended to them, is that they must make good on that promise to bring Internet and broadband into the homes in communities across the North.
The other one is as a supporter who is working with the private corporations who are the Internet service providers to ensure that they have the opportunity to make the right connections, whether it's community connections, that they have the opportunities to go into those communities, that we can assist them with whatever supports they need so that they can then be the Internet service providers in those communities.
I want to thank the Minister for that explanation. We have seen during the pandemic how the limitations and problems with Internet access in all NWT communities has hampered communications, especially for distance education and people trying to work from home. While the Mackenzie Valley fibre link may help some communities, clearly, it is not going to link all of our remote communities either. Can the Minister tell us if there is a plan to improve Internet connectivity in the NWT comparable to southern Canada and, if not, when will that plan be ready?
The Mackenzie Valley fibre link is certainly one part of it. Making the connection up to Tuktoyaktuk is another. Looking at what other areas of connectivity we can work with. For instance, the road currently to Whati is another point where we want to look at what we can be doing as a supporter and as an advocate to make sure that we're using all those opportunities to get the basis, to get the fundamentals there available for those Internet service providers.
The plan, if we're going to be having a plan, is much more than just what the government can do. It's going to have to engage and look at what the Internet service providers are going to be able to do, what is private industry going to be able to do, because, again, the government is not in the business of running a line from the point of access into the homes. I certainly will commit to looking at that so that we are engaging differently, but I don't want to make any bones about it. This isn't a plan for the government to run the lines from the point of access to the home. It's a plan to make sure we have the point of access, and then to have a plan to engage, to support, and to advocate to get those lines into those homes.
Thank you, Minister. Final supplementary, Member for Frame Lake.
Merci, monsieur le President. I want to thank the Minister for that. I don't think she actually answered my question about when we're actually going to see a plan. The Minister knows well my views on megaprojects that Cabinet keeps pushing. I have made no bones whatsoever about that, but if there is one project that I think we can all get behind, it's improving Internet connectivity in the NWT. All of us can get behind that. It is something I think that the federal government is ready to move on, ready to fund us, but we need the plan. Can the Minister commit to making improved Internet connectivity across the NWT the highest priority for this government, especially when approaching the federal government for infrastructure investments? Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.
I am certainly not going to speak for the whole of the Assembly and determine which of our priorities ranks above one or the other, but I think every Member here who has experienced the last two months of working from home and working remotely knows how important Internet connectivity is. As we're going forward, we are not entirely out of the weeds in terms of COVID. People are going to continue to rely on digital communication. It is obvious that this item is a priority, and it already was a priority of the Assembly. I'm not, as I say, going to rank it above the others, but I certainly can assure the Member that, when we are having our federal Ministers meetings, out of all departments, that this idea of broadband, the importance of having digital access, is being raised across the board. It will continue to be raised, and I really have no difficulty, certainly, in making that commitment, that we have raised it and will continue to do so. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, I wish to table the following document: "Report of the Northwest Territories Traditional Remuneration Commission 2020." Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Minister. Tabling of documents. Minister of Infrastructure.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wish to table the following document: "Annual Report to the Legislative Assembly under the Transportation of Dangerous Goods Act 2019." Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Minister. Tabling of documents.
Pursuant to Section 23 of the Official Languages Act, I wish to table the Office of the Languages Commissioner for the Northwest Territories Annual Report 2018-2019. Thank you.
Marsi cho, Mr. Speaker. Pursuant to Rule 60, I wish to withdraw Motion 8-19(2). Marsi cho.
The Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh wishes to withdraw Motion 8-19(2). Does the seconder for this motion, the Member for Hay River South, consent to have the motion withdrawn, pursuant to Rule 60?
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yes, I consent to having Motion 8-19(2) withdrawn. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am very excited to move this bill into second reading. Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Hay River North, that Bill 6, An Act to Amend the Legislative Assembly and Executive Council Act, be read for the second time.
Mr. Speaker, this bill amends the Legislative Assembly and Executive Council Act to permit this Assembly to conduct all or a portion of a session by way of teleconference or video conference, and it permits Members to participate in a session by way of teleconference or video conference at the discretion of the Speaker. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Member for Yellowknife North. To the principle of the bill. All those in favour? All those opposed? Any abstentions? The motion is carried.
---Carried
Bill 6 has had its second reading. Member for Yellowknife North.
Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to waive Rule 73(2) and have Bill 6, An Act to Amend the Legislative Assembly and Executive Council Act, moved into Committee of the Whole for consideration later today. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Member for Yellowknife North. The Member is seeking unanimous consent to have Bill 6 moved into Committee of the Whole. Are there any nays? There are no nays.
---Unanimous consent granted
