Kieron Testart

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Yesterday the Standing Committee on Government Operations reported on its review of Bill 20 as a substantive report. That report was read into the record, and I am happy to answer any questions that Members of this committee have on that report, but otherwise, I will have the record speak for itself. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I stand in support of this motion because I believe the Department of Health and Social Services has made mistakes, mistakes that have adversely affected all NWT residents and have cost this government dearly. The GNWT's credibility as the guardian of children has been severely questioned by our citizens, and public confidence in the administration of these programs and services is practically non-existent.

Fortunately, the first steps to remedying this mistake are easy. It is the steps we take after this motion that will be more challenging.

In our system of consensus...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It brings me no great pleasure in bringing forward this motion to revoke the appointment of the honourable Member for Hay River South. As a Regular Member, I work regularly with the Members on this side of the House to work on issues of mutual concern to our constituents to find resolution to the leadership of the Members of Cabinet and their respective portfolios.

This is a difficult issue for me to speak to today. A problem of being a representative in a territory as small as ours is that many take personal what is a fundamental requirement of our duties as Members...

Merci, Monsieur le president. [English translation not provided]

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I'm hoping to ask the Minister of Finance some questions around the collective bargaining to put some fears at rest in the community. The looming threat of strike is something nobody wants to hear. Other honourable colleagues have raised this issue, and we know that the mediation has ceased. When does the Minister anticipate the release of the mediator's report? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Chair, I move that Bill 20 be amended by deleting subclause 17(3) and substituting the following:

(3) The Ombud may investigate any decision, recommendation, act, order, or omission within the Ombud's mandate that occurred no earlier than January 1, 2016. Thank you.

Mr. Chair, the motion is for the Chair to leave the chair, so yes, it would be to leave. No reporting of progress.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, the Standing Committee on Government Operations developed this amendment based on its consultations and the feedback we received from the public that the mandate section of this bill was dense, overly legalistic, and difficult to understand. Standing committee set to work to make it more legible and to also clarify a concern that was also raised by the public that government policy was not explicitly referenced in the act itself, whereas it is a long-standing component of what an Ombud can do in the execution of their duties. So this amendment makes the mandate...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Chair, the Standing Committee on Government Operations is pleased to speak to Bill 20, the Ombud Act.

It began its consultations after the bill was given second reading. The committee wrote to invite input from a broad array of stakeholders and organizations in the Northwest Territories, such as municipal governments, chambers of commerce, non-governmental organizations, and professional societies. Committee also wrote to Indigenous governments in the NWT to seek their input, and in particular, to canvas their interest in accessing the services of the Ombud on a cost...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I move that this Assembly recommends that the Minister responsible for Public Engagement and Transparency work closely with the Office of the Clerk of the Legislative Assembly and the newly appointed Ombud to ensure the timely development and launch of a robust public awareness campaign to support the opening of the Office of the Ombud and increase residents' understanding of services the office provides and how to access them. Thank you, Mr. Chair.