Thank you, Madam Speaker. The committee encourages the Minister to continue lobbying the federal government for reasonable base funding for the NWT under the announced federal Day Care Program. It is abundantly clear to committee that the amount being offered as of today is woefully inadequate and will have no impact on the services and day care available to northerners.

Strong leadership is required to ensure that the NWT receives a sufficient amount to effect real change.

Equal Access To Student Financial Assistance For Trades Students And Persons With Disabilities

Over the past year, Members have become aware of several concerns with the Student Financial Assistance Program in addition to those identified at our initial planning session. The committee will therefore be expanding this objective to achieve improvements to the Student Financial Assistance Program generally.

Increased Investment In Trades And Apprenticeship Programs

The committee was pleased to see that trades and apprenticeship programs were spared cuts during the last budget cycle, but is disappointed that no new investments are being made in this area. Given the territorial and nation-wide shortage of skilled workers, and the current and future opportunities for tradespeople, Members believe now is the time to make these investments. For example, Members have concerns that there is not enough staff available to assist current and would-be apprentices and employers.

Introduction Of Measures To Mitigate The Impacts Of Past Hydro Projects

The committee is aware of several longstanding and unresolved concerns arising from the impacts of the Taltson and Snare River hydro developments. The committee will be turning its attention to this in the near future.

Development Of A Hydro Project On The Bear River

The committee is prepared to offer its cautious support to this project provided the NWT Power Corporation is able to secure a customer base.

Construction Of An All-Weather Road Between Tuktoyaktuk And Inuvik

The committee would like to affirm its support for construction of an all-weather road between Tuktoyaktuk and Inuvik, and would encourage the government to actively pursue federal funds, such as Corridors for Canada monies, that would allow this long overdue project to become a reality.

Consideration Of A Logo For The NWT

The committee has agreed not to pursue this objective.

Ongoing Objectives

The committee will also continue to pursue the objectives explicitly included in our mandate, which are:

• • the comprehensive overview of the GNWT's budget and fiscal framework;
• • the consideration of bills, budgets and financial management of the Department of the Executive -- including the Executive offices, the Ministry of Aboriginal Affairs, and the Financial Management Board Secretariat -- and the Department of Finance;
• • examination of Auditor General's reports
• • examination of the reports of statutory officers including the Commissioner of Official Languages, the Conflict of Interest Commissioner, the Information and Privacy Commissioner, the Equal Pay Commissioner and the Human Rights Commission; and,
• • coordination of House business scheduling and planning in cooperation with Cabinet.

Other Activities

Over the course of the last year-and-a-half, the standing committee has taken the opportunity to move its priorities forward through several theme days. A theme day is when Regular Members decide to collectively focus on a particular issue in the House through Members' statements, oral questions and/or debate on motions. This provides an opportunity to raise the profile of a given issue with the government and with the public.

A motion during the formal session of the Legislative Assembly is a proposal for the Assembly to do something, order something to be done or express an opinion on an issue that is presented to the Assembly for a decision. Following the introduction of the motion, there is an opportunity to debate it, and then a vote.

In addition to the motions mentioned in earlier sections of this report, the committee supported the following:

Affordable Electric Power

This motion from October 28, 2004, called for a review of the Territorial Power Subsidy Program -- TPSP -- to ensure communities dependent on diesel power do not suffer as a result of increasing oil prices. The motion also called for the government to direct the Power Corporation revisit the current community-based rate structure. As indicated in our Report on the Review of the 2005-2006 Draft Main Estimates, we were pleased to note that the government agreed to compensate for rate riders through the TPSP. However, the committee urges the government to apply its rate rider rescue program to all power customers across the NWT, not just those living in communities where the TPSP applies.

Issuance Of Special Warrants

This motion, carried on October 29, 2004, called for the government to amend the Financial Administration Act to cap special warrants, and to require that all Members be given reasonable advance notice of special warrants prior to their issuance.

Establishment Of Addictions Treatment Centres

This motion, which was also carried on October 29, 2004, urged the government to establish a centre in the NWT dedicated to treating addictions to drugs other than alcohol, a centre specifically for youth and residential treatment centres in Yellowknife and Inuvik.

Adequate, Affordable And Accessible Housing

This motion from October 27, 2004, called on the Minister responsible for the NWT Housing Corporation to come forward with options to sustain the NWT's long-term public housing investment, to reduce core-housing needs by 10 percent by the year 2007 and to develop a proposal to take to the federal government for additional funding for NWT public housing.

Addressing Housing Needs

Committee supported a second motion on housing which was carried on February 24, 2005. This motion urged the government to develop a coordinated housing program for those in need, including an assisted living program for seniors and disabled persons, so as to allow individuals to remain in their home community. The motion also called on the government to continue to pursue secure funding for aboriginal housing needs, to accelerate the strategy on homelessness and to ensure community support and a client base for infrastructure prior to any capital investment. Finally, the motion asked the government to bring forward a detailed plan by October 2005 on how to replace the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation funding which is due to sunset in 2038.

Revitalizing Community Justice

This motion, carried on March 3, 2005, urged the government to reaffirm its commitment to the principles of community justice and to bring forward options and proposals during the next business planning cycle for projects to reduce recidivism, build communities' resources and capacity to address their justice issues and enhance community involvement in justice matters.

New Priorities And Objectives

During its April 2005 operational and strategic planning workshop, the committee identified the following additional priorities and objectives:

• • increased programming for drug and alcohol addictions rehabilitation and treatment
• • oversight of public service growth, particularly in light of the impact of future self-government implementation
• • adequate resources for dust control in communities
• • adequate resources for transition houses for victims of domestic violence
• • construction of a seniors' complex in Inuvik
• • reduction of the infrastructure deficit
• • development of an NWT constitution including a role for elders

Conclusion

Although, as outlined in this report, significant progress has been made on several key initiatives, it is clear that there is a large workload still to be completed during the remainder of the 15th Assembly. The Standing Committee on Accountability and Oversight looks forward to working with the government to address the many outstanding priorities and objectives noted above, and to turning its attention to those issues that it has not yet had the opportunity to consider in depth.

Motion To Receive And Adopt Committee Report 1-15(4), Carried

Madam Speaker, that concludes the report of the Standing Committee on Accountability and Oversight on progress of committee priorities and objectives. Therefore, I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Nahendeh, that Committee Report 1-15(4) be received and adopted. Thank you, Madam Speaker.