Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Standing Committee on Government Operations is pleased to provide its report on transition matters and commends it to the House.
Over the course of the 16th Assembly the Standing Committee on Government Operations has conducted a number of reviews and made a number of recommendations to government. In many instances the government has agreed with our recommendations and made commitments for which it has not yet fulfilled. The committee is also anticipating government responses to our most recent reports during the August 2011 sitting, which will be the final time that the Assembly meets before dissolution. The intent of this report on transition matters is to make the public, Members of the 17th Assembly, and our successor committee aware of work in progress.
The Standing Committee on Government Operations’ mandate includes:
consideration of the multi-year business plans and budgets, bills, boards, and agencies, and departmental performance of the departments of Executive, Finance, Human Resources, and the Financial Management Board Secretariat;
to review the official language issues;
reviewing the reports of the statutory officers of the Legislative Assembly, including the Languages Commissioner, the Information and Privacy Commissioner, the Equal Pay Commissioner, and the Human Rights Commission;
examination of the reports on the annual financial statements and public accounts of the Government of the Northwest Territories and reports of the Auditor General; and
consideration of any matter referred by the House.
On May 28, 2009, the committee provided its Final Report on the Review of the Official Languages Act 2008-2009, entitled Reality Check: Securing a Future for the Official Languages in the Northwest Territories. The report, which was the result of extensive research and public consultation, included 48 recommendations. The government has since provided a response to the committee’s report and released the NWT Aboriginal Languages Plan: A Shared Responsibility, in October 2010. As the plan is intended to unfold over 10 years, many of the actions are in progress and have not yet begun. Further, the committees Reality Check report recommends changes to legislation which the government has not yet brought forward.
I turn continued reading of the report over to my deputy chair, Mr. Robert Hawkins.
Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. The honourable Member for Yellowknife Centre, Mr. Hawkins.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and thank you, Mr. Menicoche.
The committee reviewed the following reports of the Auditor General:
Report on the NWT Housing Corporation: Public Housing and Ownership Program - 2008;
Report on Contracting for Goods and Services in the NWT - 2009;
Report on Education of the Northwest Territories - 2010;
Report on the Northwest Territories Deh Cho Bridge Project - 2011;
Report on Northwest Territories Health Programs and Services - 2011.
The committee continues to monitor the issues identified in the Report on Contracting for Goods and Services. Progress on the issues identified in the Public Housing and Ownership Programs report is being monitored by the Standing Committee on Economic Development and Infrastructure and progress issues identified in the education report is being monitored by the Standing Committee on Social Programs. All those committees’ respective mandates include oversight of the NWT Housing Corporation and the Department of Education, Culture and Employment.
The committee anticipates that the government’s responses to its reports on the 2011 reports of the Auditor General will be tabled during the August 2011 sitting.
Over the course of the 16th Assembly the committee made a number of recommendations following its review of the annual reports of the Languages Commissioner, Human Rights Commissioner, and Information and Privacy Commissioner, and continues to monitor the progress on the issues identified.
In May 2011 the committee reported to the Legislative Assembly on the 2009-2010 Annual Report of the Information and Privacy Commissioner and the Human Rights Commission, and in both cases provided recommendations to the government. The committee anticipates that the government’s response to its report will be tabled in the August 2011 sitting. In addition to its report, the committee supported a formal motion of the House recommending that the government undertake a comprehensive review of the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act. It also expects a response to this motion during the August sitting.
I’d like to pass the final part of the report and its presentation to Mr. Abernethy, MLA for Great Slave.
Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. The honourable Member for Great Slave, Mr. Abernethy.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and thank you, Mr. Hawkins.
The committee conducted annual reviews of the business plans and the budget of the departments of Executive, Finance, and Human Resources, and received updates on the initiatives throughout the year. The following were programs and issues that the committee followed especially closely:
The committee is concerned that the numbers of indigenous Aboriginal persons in management positions has not increased over the past decade. The Department of Human Resources is currently in the process of undertaking Aboriginal employment initiatives that we hope will move us beyond this plateau, but there will need to monitor the implantation and success of these initiatives in the future.
The committee is pleased that the government has made some steps toward reducing the administration burden attached to funding for NGOs. However, there are still significant changes needed, in particular, legislative amendments that will facilitate multi-year funding, and better interdepartmental cooperation and collaboration to simplify the process of dealing with government for NGOs.
The committee has been concerned with the late tabling of the public accounts and has asked the Minister of Finance to address this problem.
The committee is concerned with delays and difficulties with filling some vacant public service positions and has urged the Department of Human Resources to focus on staff recruitment issues and reduce recruitment times.
Bandwidth is a critical component of our northern infrastructure and service delivery systems, given the high cost of transportation and remoteness of many of our communities. The committee has urged the Department of Finance to expedite access and more bandwidth in any way possible, and is pleased that the government is proceeding with the Mackenzie Valley fibre optics link feasibility study.
Mr. Speaker, this concludes the Standing Committee on Government Operations Report on Transition Matters. Members respectfully suggest that our successor committee consider requesting updates on the above matters with some committee staff and government, and wish them the utmost success in fulfilling their mandate.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Abernethy. The honourable Member for Tu Nedhe, Mr. Beaulieu.
