Mr. Chairman, I, too, will be voting in favour of this motion. This is precisely the kind of thing that we expect our relatively newly minted Human Rights Commission to do, is bring forward progressive ideas that we can engage in in the interest of individuals. There is certainly an aspect of care to be taken in tying the hands of employers, Mr. Chairman, in being able to choose wisely the type of employees they wish to have. But in committee's presentations, and anecdotally now and then, it seems to be perhaps a bit of a trend here that employers are using criminal record checks and anything on anybody's past as a potential cause for not hiring them. That would certainly be something that on a blanket policy is not something that I think I would be prepared to condone. That is why I think this is a progressive piece of work. The way it was, at least the sense that was presented to committee, Mr. Chairman, was that employers would still be able to have some scope in their choice of how they could discriminate, but that we would want to make sure that the door was open where unrelated convictions would not be an allowable ground of discrimination. So with that, Mr. Chairman, I look forward to voting in favour of this motion. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Braden. To the motion. Mr. Yakeleya.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I'm going to also support this motion here and I look forward to the Department of Justice in terms of how they're going to roll this out into the communities. I had several constituents of mine be turned away because of previous criminal records that were nine years old, and to have these members that are now changing their way of life and actually making some valuable contributions to these land claim boards or other type of boards that we advertise through the government, sometimes their criminal convictions hurts them and they're not considered to sit on several boards because of the criminal records checks and some other things. So it limits them and narrows the pickings, I guess, of good people to sit on the boards. There's a bit of a cry that we have our people who are in the region, northern, and people who are in the North who could do a lot of good work for our community and our region and our government. So I will look with interest in terms of how this government, and specifically the Department of Justice, looks at this recommendation and to see how it's going to be rolled out in the community and how it's going to have an impact and how the changes will occur and what things need to be considered. So, Mr. Chairman, I will be supporting this motion. Thank you.

Mahsi, Mr. Yakeleya. To the motion.

Question has been called. All those in favour? All those opposed? The motion is carried.

---Carried

Before I proceed, I would like to as well recognize the Pages that are in our House here today from Range Lake North School, and we also have Mr. Ian Moir and his daughter, Lauren, is one of our Pages here today. So welcome.

---Applause

Thank you, committee. Mr. Menicoche.

Other Issues

Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman. In the course of our discussion on the annual report, some Members noted the act used the word "sex" to refer to discrimination on the basis of being male or female, and raised concerns that this terminology could be misunderstood or be offensive to some people. The committee suggests this government consider bringing forward an amendment to the act to change the word "sex" to "gender," which is in its opinion a less confusing or more appropriate term.

Conclusion

The committee looks forward to monitoring the continued evolution of the Northwest Territories Human Rights Commission, and to reviewing its next annual report.

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. Chairman, I move that this committee recommend that, pursuant to Rule 93(5), the GNWT table a comprehensive response to this report within 120 calendar days. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. The motion is in order. To the motion.

Question has been called. All those in favour? All those opposed? The motion is carried.

---Carried

Thank you, committee. Does committee agree that consideration of Committee Report 1-15(5) is concluded?

Agreed. Thank you, committee. Mr. Menicoche.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. We'll turn the floor over to Mr. Hawkins.

Thank you. For the record, we're on Committee Report 2-15(5). Mr. Hawkins.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. Mr. Chairman, An underlying theme throughout the Commissioner's report and presentation to the committee was the need to foster a corporate culture that is committed to open and transparent government and strives to follow the spirit as well as the letter of the act. The Commissioner points to a trend of public bodies automatically refusing access to information wherever they have a discretionary exemption under the act, without evaluating whether there are clear and compelling reasons to do so. She is concerned that public bodies, and in particular the Financial Management Board Secretariat, are withholding information just because they can without considering whether they should.

In order to shift the corporate culture toward openness and transparency, the Commissioner believes a top-down approach is necessary. In her words, "if the top members of the bureaucracy and the politicians are afraid of openness, that fear will translate to the department or government and there will be a corporate culture of secrecy. If the corporate culture is one of openness, the rest of the bureaucracy will follow."

As an example of the leadership required, she cites the Premier, management board and Attorney General of Ontario, who recently issued memoranda emphasizing the importance of freedom of information in the democratic process and encouraging a proactive approach to providing information to the public. She recommends the Premier, Ministers and Financial Management Board follow the lead of Ontario by publicly and clearly endorsing the goals of the act and taking positive steps to foster a corporate culture of openness and accountability.

The committee shares the Commissioner's concerns and strongly supports her recommendation. The Standing Committee on Accountability and Oversight recommends that the Premier, Ministers and Financial Management Board make public statements supporting the principles of the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act, and send clear messages to the public service about the importance of open and transparent government, and the need to grant access to information unless there is a clear and compelling reason to do so.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. The motion. Committee motion. Mr. Hawkins.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. My apologies. I move that committee recommends that the Premier, Ministers and Financial Management Board make public statements supporting the principles of the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act, and send clear messages to the public service about the importance of open and transparent government and the need to grant access to information unless there is a clear and compelling reason to do so.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. The motion is in order. To the motion.

Question has been called, however, I recognize that there isn't a quorum at this time, so what I will do, before I ring the bells I'm going to take a second to recognize Mr. Vickers' class from Ecole St. Joseph School that's with us here in the gallery today. Welcome, folks.

---Applause

Mr. Vickers' class has a few interesting gentlemen. Mr. Dent's son, Tyler, is in Mr. Vickers' class...

---Applause

...as well as the Premier's grandson, Gage....

---Applause

...and my nephew Ryan is also in Mr. Vickers' class...

---Applause

...and Mr. Ouellette's son, as well. Welcome. Wow.

---Applause

Welcome very much to the Legislative Assembly, to our proceedings this afternoon. It's always a pleasure to have young folks here watching the proceedings of this House. Thank you very much. I will recognize now, committee, that we do not have a quorum and I will ring the bells in an effort to achieve quorum. Thank you.

---Ringing of Bells

Thank you, committee. Question has been called. To the motion. Question has been called. All those in favour? Thank you. Question was called. The motion is passed. Thank you, committee.

---Carried

---Applause

Before we move on to Mr. Hawkins, I'd like to recognize Mr. Mike Olsen in the gallery from First Air. Welcome.

---Applause

Mr. Hawkins.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. A longstanding concern for the Commissioner has been the need for members and staff of boards and agencies to be aware of their obligations under the act and to implement appropriate records retention policies, particularly for documents in the hands of individual board members. The Commissioner recommends that, as a minimum, the chairs and executive directors of boards and agencies be required to take the training, although ideally training would be mandatory for all appointees.

The GNWT advised in its response to the 2003-2004 recommendations that ATIPP training is routinely available to all board members and public servants, and that the Department of Public Works and Services would

make available to board members its records management standards, policies and guidelines.

The committee is concerned that the GNWT's approach to date has been far from proactive and supports the Commissioner's recommendation for mandatory training.

Mr. Chairman, I move that this committee recommends that the NWT make basic records management and access to information and protection of privacy training mandatory for all chairs and executive directors of boards and agencies to which the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act applies. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. The motion is in order.