Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, every session we pass a capital budget, operations and maintenance budget, or a supplemental appropriation budget for government spending. Tucked away in every one of those budgets are million dollar expenses to sustain or improve our government's hold in the digital world. Over the years, these dollars have turned paper medical records into digital archives that allow residents to access more consistent healthcare across the NWT. Some of these technology upgrades allow us to now order birth certificates or healthcare cards online, and some, in turn, are needed to protect the privacy of this very personal information maintained by the government. But it's not enough to simply be digital. We also need the interoperability of a truly digital system.
Interoperability is when our computer systems or digital infrastructure can easily work together. High levels of interoperability create longlasting value, accelerating growth and transformation, grow revenues, and reduce costs, free up employee work time, and propel meaningful collaboration. It's as simple as sharing draft documents no matter what community you work in or as difficult to supporting a resident's income assistance application even if you work for Housing NWT.
But today our systems are fragmented and managed in organizational silos. To fix this, we need a wholeofgovernment plan or framework that defines the principles, policies, guidelines, and recommendations for agencies to deliver integrated public service.
In 2019, 2020, 2021, and 2022, the GNWT was approved for $23 million in computer hardware and software spending. But in the same years, the GNWT actually spent over $41 million on computer hardware and software. Digital technology spending in the 19th Assembly seems to have come with a blank cheque, Mr. Speaker.
We need to collect data. This data needs to be accessible for the programs and services that rely on it to grow, improve, and address the needs of NWT residents. So when I see spending that far exceeds the budgeted amounts, but I'm told that the silos are difficult to break down to properly serve residents because of the "in”-interoperability of our digital systems, I get frustrated, Mr. Speaker.
Where shifting to electronic medical records once made the Northwest Territories digital leaders in Canada, we have now fallen behind, and it hasn't been for lack of spending. There is much to be gained by a digital government. Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.
Unanimous consent granted
Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, there is much to be gained by a digital government. Improved resident experience, increased administrative efficiency, improved datadriven policy making, a more transparent government through open data, enhanced privacy, and of course waste reduction. I will have questions for the Minister of Finance at the appropriate time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Member for Kam Lake. Members' statements. Member for Deh Cho.
