Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have a report from the Standing Committee on Agencies, Boards and Commissions, on the proposed elimination of the Board of Directors for the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation.
Mr. Speaker, the Standing Committee on Agencies, Boards and Commissions has completed its review of a proposal to eliminate the Board of Directors of the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation and replace it with an alternative framework for ensuring public input into senior management and policy decisions on housing. This review was undertaken in response to a written request from the Minister responsible for the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation.
The standing committee met on several occasions to review the rationale and substance of the Minister's plan. The standing committee expressed concern that some of the reasons indicated by the Minister for eliminating the board were inappropriate. Arguments that boards and agencies are inconsistent with the concept of ministerial government or that decisions to eliminate government created boards and agencies should be made solely on the basis of the "Strength at Two Levels" report cannot be supported.
Similarly, the standing committee finds that the assumption that significant cost savings will always be realized through the elimination of boards to be dubious. The Standing Committee on Agencies, Boards and Commissions was of the opinion that decisions respecting the elimination of boards and agencies should occur only when there is evidence that the existing structure is not working well and would be improved by an alternative approach.
Upon reviewing the situation surrounding the Board of Directors within the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation, the Standing Committee on Agencies, Boards and Commissions came to the conclusion that the existing structure did contain many inefficiencies and presented an ineffective and uneconomic approach to managing housing programs. Accordingly, the standing committee gave support to the Minister's proposal to eliminate the Board of Directors.
Mr. Speaker, in doing so however, the Standing Committee on Agencies, Boards and Commissions was mindful of the need to ensure that there is adequate public input from the community level into policy development within the Housing Corporation. Therefore, the elimination of the Board of Directors was considered conditional on the development of some alternative mechanism for ensuring appropriate consultation and communication with community leadership and stakeholders.
At the request of the standing committee the Minister brought forward a comprehensive plan from a framework that would facilitate a new approach to community consultation. The Minister proposed that a system of annual district meetings should be implemented and that, in addition, annual public meetings should be held in each community. Increased consultation with local housing organizations and with local governments are also planned.
The Standing Committee on Agencies, Boards and Commissions was supportive of these plans and has recommended that they should be initiated during the 1993-94 fiscal year. To ensure that public input is transmitted to and appropriately dealt with at senior management levels, the Minister proposed the establishment of a Special Advisory Committee on Housing, with a membership of seven M.L.A.s. While there are a significant number of concerns about the proposed structure and mandate of the special advisory committee, the Standing Committee on Agencies, Boards and Commissions was generally supportive of the principle. The standing committee has recommended that the Minister proceed with his plans to establish such a body but recognized that many specific details would need to be discussed when the Minister brings forward his formal motion to establish a committee and its terms of reference.
In summary, Mr. Speaker, the Standing Committee on Agencies, Boards and Commissions has found that there are definite merits to the Minister's plan to eliminate the Board of Directors for the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation, provided that the board is replaced with the proposed consultation framework. The standing committee has recommended that the Minister proceed with this plan and that the Executive Council provide a comprehensive response to all recommendations in this report within 120 days. Mr. Speaker, that concludes my introductory remarks to this report.
Motion To Move Committee Report 5-12(3) To Committee Of The Whole
Therefore, I would like to move, seconded by the honourable Member for Nahendeh, that the report of the Standing Committee on Agencies, Boards and Commissions on the Proposed Elimination of the Board of Directors for the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation be received and moved into the Committee of the Whole for further consideration.