Debates of Oct. 16th, 1996

This is page numbers 1167 - 1216 of the Hansard for the 13th Assembly, 3rd Session. The original version can be accessed on the Legislative Assembly's website or by contacting the Legislative Assembly Library. The word of the day was community.

Topics

Members Present
Item 1: Prayer
Ministers' Statement 113-13(3): Partners In A New Beginning
Child Welfare
95/96 Business Development Fund Annual Report
Small Business Week
Education, Culture, And Employment's Web Site
Draft Constitution Package For The New Western Territory
The Need To Live Within Our Fiscal Means
Draft Constitution Package For The New Western Territory
The Need To Achieve Efficiency And Fairness Through Government Restructuring
Draft Constitution Package For The New Western Territory
Item 4: Returns To Oral Questions
Item 5: Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery
Teacher's Staff Housing In Fort Mcpherson
Consequences Of Not Meeting Reduction Targets
Effectiveness And Efficiency In GNWT Programs
GNWT Policy On Placement Of Aboriginal Children
Raising The Price Of Heating Fuel
Emergency Aid To Grise Fiord
Residency Requirements For Social Housing
Southern Communication Strategy
Update On Funding For Status Of Women's Council
Contributions Of Business Development Fund
Equipment Lost In School Fire
Business Development Fund Job Creation
GNWT/northwestel Service Agreement
Guidelines For Capital Project Management
New Revenue/expenditure Initiatives
Negotiations Of Bulk Rates With Commercial Carriers
Naming Of The New Chair Of Workers' Compensation Board
Differential Pricing For Public And Government
Item 12: Reports Of Committees On The Review Of Bills
Item 13: Tabling Of Documents
Item 18: Second Reading Of Bills
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 20: Report Of Committee Of The Whole
Item 22: Orders Of The Day

Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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The Chair

The Chair Vince Steen

Clause 4.

Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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Members

Agreed.

Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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The Chair

The Chair Vince Steen

Clause 5.

Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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Members

Agreed.

Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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The Chair

The Chair Vince Steen

Page 2,

Clause 6.

Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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Members

Agreed.

Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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The Chair

The Chair Vince Steen

Clause 7.

Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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Members

Agreed.

Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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The Chair

The Chair Vince Steen

Page 3, schedule, part I, vote 1, operations and maintenance.

Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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Members

Agreed.

Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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The Chair

The Chair Vince Steen

Total operations and maintenance, $511,133.

Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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Members

Agreed.

Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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The Chair

The Chair Vince Steen

Part II, vote 2, capital, total capital, $4,561,090.

Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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Members

Agreed.

Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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The Chair

The Chair Vince Steen

Total supplementary appropriations in parts I and II, $5,072,223.

Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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Members

Agreed.

Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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The Chair

The Chair Vince Steen

The bill as a whole.

Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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Members

Agreed.

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The Chair

The Chair Vince Steen

Does the committee agree that Bill 20, is ready for third reading?

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Members

Agreed.

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The Chair

The Chair Vince Steen

Bill 20 is now ready for third reading. Thank you Mr. Todd, and the witness for attending.

If the Committee agrees, we now move on to Bill 21, Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act.

Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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Members

Agreed.

Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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The Chair

The Chair Vince Steen

I would like to ask Mr. Ng, the Minister of Justice, to introduce the bill.

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Kelvin Ng Kitikmeot

Thank you Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, on October 10, 1996, the committee of the whole considered Tabled Document 89-13(3), the Report of the Ad Hoc Working Group on Access to Information and the Protection of Privacy.

The Committee passed a number of resolutions recommending certain amendments to the legislation. The first of these concerned the appointment of a contract Information and Privacy Commissioner, with a term to end by March 31, 1999. This would take into account division of the Territories, and allow for the appointment of a Commissioner under contract, similar to what is done in Saskatchewan. This would necessitate an amendment to change the term of the first appointee from five years to a term which would expire no later than March 31, 1999.

An amendment is also required to remove the provision in the act which states that the employees of the Information and Privacy Commissioner are public servants. The second recommendation of the working group and the committee of the whole was to remove the requirement to include in the directory, a general description of the categories of records and the custody or under the control of each public body. Members felt that developing and maintaining a directory of files is a very costly and time-consuming process. It would lead to the creation of a system of records which would become largely obsolete in less than three years, owing to division. Other jurisdictions have determined that the directory is not used very extensively by the public. However, a directory will be produced which contains the list of all public bodies and the name and address of the contact person for each public body. This aspect of the directory should be useful to members of the public and it can be produced at a limited cost.

Mr. Chairman, I would like to express my appreciation for the carefully considered work of the Ad Hoc Working Group on Access to Information and the Protection of Privacy, which is reflected in this bill.

I will be happy to answer any questions, Mr. Chairman. Thank you.

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The Chair

The Chair Vince Steen

Thank you Mr. Ng. As the bill was referred directly to the committee of the whole, there is no report from a standing committee. Therefore, I will ask the committee, does the committee agree that the Minister bring in witnesses?