Thank you, Mr. Speaker. 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 offices 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.

New Priority: Adequate Support For Frontline Organizations

During its 2005 pre-budget consultations, the committee received presentations from frontline organizations in several communities raising concerns about the level of support they are receiving from government. Staffing is an especially acute problem for non-governmental organizations and will rise to crisis level if they continue to lack the resources to offer competitive wages and benefits in order to recruit and retain qualified staff. Additional concerns, which are outlined in detail in the committee's October 2005 Report on Pre-Budget Consultations, included:

• • overall inadequacy of funding, particularly as this limits their ability to provide holistic programming to meet clients' multiple needs;
• • the need for multi-year funding arrangements;
• • the administrative burden associated with having to apply to and meet the accountability requirements of multiple programs, particularly where programs have not been designed to fit clients' actual needs; and
• • the need for more direct involvement of frontline organizations in the GNWT's planning exercises.

The committee sees frontline organizations as key to the success of many of the Assembly's goals: they are delivering some of our most essential services and have the best knowledge of their clients' needs. Moreover, they are made up of highly dedicated people who are providing programs far more effectively and at far less cost than if government were to try to achieve the same results on its own. It is critical that we support their efforts and ensure they continue to be viable.

The committee understands that the government is developing and implementing new funding criteria and approaches for frontline organizations. We look forward to hearing from these organizations again during this year's pre-budget consultations on whether they have experienced any improvements as a result of the changes made by the GNWT.

Other Activities

Over the course of the last year, the standing committee has continued to move its priorities forward through "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:

Energy And Cost Of Living

This motion, carried October 24, 2005, called on the government to develop comprehensive strategies to address energy costs and the overall cost of living, and to present those strategies to the committee in public meetings. As a result, public meetings did take place in November 2005 and January 2006, and a great deal of information presented at those meetings is publicly available on the government's web site.

Beverage Container Recovery Program

This motion, carried October 26, 2005, called on the government to delay implementation of the Beverage Container Recovery Program in every community without an approved depot until such time as a local depot became available. Although the government proceeded to implement the program territory-wide, the motion did press the Minister and department to come up with interim arrangements for several communities to ensure residents could receive refunds for their recycled containers.

Northern Residents Tax Deduction

This motion, carried on February 9, 2006, called for the Premier and Minister of Finance to begin working with their counterparts to lobby the federal government to increase the northern residents tax deduction and to index it annually in the future to keep pace with the cost of living.

Conclusion

With just over a year remaining in the life of the 15th Assembly, the Standing Committee on Accountability and Oversight looks forward to seeing significant progress on several priorities between now and the end of 2006 and to working with the government to address the many outstanding priorities and objectives noted above.

Recommendation

The Standing Committee on Accountability and Oversight recommends that, pursuant to Rule 93(5), the GNWT table a comprehensive response to this report within 120 calendar days.

Mr. Speaker, that concludes the Standing Committee on Accountability and Oversight's Committee Progress Report on Priorities and Objectives 2006.