This is page numbers 265 - 302 of the Hansard for the 15th Assembly, 6th 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 going.

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Item 7: Acknowledgements
Item 7: Acknowledgements

Page 275

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Acknowledgements. The honourable Member for Nunakput, Mr. Pokiak.

Item 7: Acknowledgements
Item 7: Acknowledgements

Page 275

Calvin Pokiak

Calvin Pokiak Nunakput

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise today to recognize and acknowledge the accomplishment of Ms. Liz Kuptana of Paulatuk. I understand Liz Kuptana, language and culture instructor at Angik School in Paulatuk, will be retiring as the language and culture instructor after 20 years of service.

Today, on behalf of the students and parents of Paulatuk, I would like to thank Ms. Kuptana on her dedication and keeping the strong tradition and instruction of the Inuvialuit language alive to the students of Angik School. I know she will be missed by the students of Angik School. In closing, I wish her well in her retirement, because she deserves it. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

Item 7: Acknowledgements
Item 7: Acknowledgements

Page 275

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Pokiak. Acknowledgements. Oral questions. The honourable Member for Hay River South, Mrs. Groenewegen.

Jane Groenewegen

Jane Groenewegen Hay River South

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my questions are for the Minister of Human Resources. Mr. Speaker, as I said in my Member's statement, members of the public service of the Government of the Northwest Territories are entitled and should expect that the information that they provide to their employer will be treated with respect and it will be kept private and used only for the purpose it is intended.

Mr. Speaker, on Tuesday, May 15, 2007, I asked Minister Dent if there had been a breach of security of information of a private nature for members of the public service through the PeopleSoft program. The Minister said no. Today, again, I ask Minister Dent if there has been a breach of private information of GNWT employees from the PeopleSoft program. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. The honourable Minister of Human Resources, Mr. Dent.

Return To Question 104-15(6): Security Breach Of GNWT Peoplesoft Human Resources System
Question 104-15(6): Security Breach Of GNWT Peoplesoft Human Resources System
Item 8: Oral Questions

Page 276

Charles Dent

Charles Dent Frame Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As the Member noted earlier this week, I informed her that there had been no problems with information access of the PeopleSoft system after the implementation of self-service function for departments. However, since that time, I have been informed that there were some problems with the information access during the initial rollout of the program in some departments. These problems were dealt with quickly as soon as they were identified. Mr. Speaker, I intend to follow up with my department on this issue and determine how we can ensure that these types of issues do not arise again and I will report back to Members on the results of my inquiry. I would like to thank the honourable Member for bringing this issue to my attention. Mr. Speaker, I apologize for any miscommunication on my part.

Return To Question 104-15(6): Security Breach Of GNWT Peoplesoft Human Resources System
Question 104-15(6): Security Breach Of GNWT Peoplesoft Human Resources System
Item 8: Oral Questions

Page 276

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Supplementary, Mrs. Groenewegen.

Supplementary To Question 104-15(6): Security Breach Of GNWT Peoplesoft Human Resources System
Question 104-15(6): Security Breach Of GNWT Peoplesoft Human Resources System
Item 8: Oral Questions

Page 276

Jane Groenewegen

Jane Groenewegen Hay River South

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I fully assume that when the Minister informed us that there had been no breach of information, was what was in his knowledge at that time. However, that raises other questions. Mr. Speaker, I called the Minister a month ago. Other Members called the Minister and inquired when we had begun to hear about this breach. Then I again asked, on the record in this House, and I thought that surely after asking in the public that somebody in the Minister's office or in the Minister's department would have taken the opportunity to set the record straight and have the Minister then correct that information the next day in the House. Even after I asked Minister Dent again last night, no attempt was made by anyone in his department to correct this misinformation. This is typical of the way the Human Resources treats members of the public service when it comes to their benefits, pensions, leaves, records of employment and now the security of the information that they provide to this government.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to ask the Minister how it is that, after being inquired about this for over a month and then stating on the public record, that no one in the Minister's department corrected the record? Did they not know? Thank you.

Supplementary To Question 104-15(6): Security Breach Of GNWT Peoplesoft Human Resources System
Question 104-15(6): Security Breach Of GNWT Peoplesoft Human Resources System
Item 8: Oral Questions

Page 276

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. Mr. Dent.

Further Return To Question 104-15(6): Security Breach Of GNWT Peoplesoft Human Resources System
Question 104-15(6): Security Breach Of GNWT Peoplesoft Human Resources System
Item 8: Oral Questions

Page 276

Charles Dent

Charles Dent Frame Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I intend to follow up on this issue with some detail. Again, I will advise Members of what I am able to find out. Thank you.

Further Return To Question 104-15(6): Security Breach Of GNWT Peoplesoft Human Resources System
Question 104-15(6): Security Breach Of GNWT Peoplesoft Human Resources System
Item 8: Oral Questions

Page 276

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Supplementary, Mrs. Groenewegen.

Supplementary To Question 104-15(6): Security Breach Of GNWT Peoplesoft Human Resources System
Question 104-15(6): Security Breach Of GNWT Peoplesoft Human Resources System
Item 8: Oral Questions

Page 276

Jane Groenewegen

Jane Groenewegen Hay River South

Mr. Speaker, I would hope that the Minister would treat this as a matter of some urgency and some importance. I think this shows great disrespect to our public servants if we do not do that. Mr. Speaker, I know that MLAs' information was included in there too, but I am not so concerned about that; I am concerned about the people in the public service who have had this information out there. I do not believe it was out there for a short period of time. I think it was out there for a three-week period. I would ask the Minister to check into that. I would be very interested in hearing back. I expect that there will be consequences for misinformation and the lack of information provided to the Minister on the part of the people in the Department of Human Resources.

Mr. Speaker, during this time of breach and during this time that there was access available to this information, is it possible that this information, including bank accounts, social insurance numbers, private home addresses, could have been downloaded? Thank you.

Supplementary To Question 104-15(6): Security Breach Of GNWT Peoplesoft Human Resources System
Question 104-15(6): Security Breach Of GNWT Peoplesoft Human Resources System
Item 8: Oral Questions

Page 276

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. Mr. Dent.

Further Return To Question 104-15(6): Security Breach Of GNWT Peoplesoft Human Resources System
Question 104-15(6): Security Breach Of GNWT Peoplesoft Human Resources System
Item 8: Oral Questions

Page 276

Charles Dent

Charles Dent Frame Lake

Mr. Speaker, I don't believe that it was possible that this information could have been downloaded, but I will ascertain that and again make sure that that information is passed on to Members.

Mr. Speaker, I am very concerned that information that should not have been available to all of the employees in the public service was available. It is important to note, too, that this wasn't a public breach. While it is right, the information should not have been available, I want to make sure that all employees understand that this information was not available on the Internet to the members of the public. Any information that was able to be seen was only by the people who had taken an oath of office. I know that isn't going to satisfy or mitigate the issue that this information was available, but I want to make sure that people understand this wasn't broadly available to the public. I don't believe that it was available for three weeks, at this point. I will, however, ensure that a very detailed review of this matter is taken. I have promised and will report to all Members on what I find.

Further Return To Question 104-15(6): Security Breach Of GNWT Peoplesoft Human Resources System
Question 104-15(6): Security Breach Of GNWT Peoplesoft Human Resources System
Item 8: Oral Questions

Page 276

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Final supplementary, Mrs. Groenewegen.

Supplementary To Question 104-15(6): Security Breach Of GNWT Peoplesoft Human Resources System
Question 104-15(6): Security Breach Of GNWT Peoplesoft Human Resources System
Item 8: Oral Questions

Page 276

Jane Groenewegen

Jane Groenewegen Hay River South

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I think that the Minister not being informed of this by people in his department is a great sign of disrespect for him, and disrespect for Members of this House, and disrespect for the public servants. I would like to ask the Minister, what is he prepared to do in the event of this information where he was allowed to stand up and publicly make a declaration in this House to me that there was no breach and not one person from his department called

him to correct the record? What is he prepared to do about it? Thank you.

Supplementary To Question 104-15(6): Security Breach Of GNWT Peoplesoft Human Resources System
Question 104-15(6): Security Breach Of GNWT Peoplesoft Human Resources System
Item 8: Oral Questions

Page 277

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. Mr. Dent.

Further Return To Question 104-15(6): Security Breach Of GNWT Peoplesoft Human Resources System
Question 104-15(6): Security Breach Of GNWT Peoplesoft Human Resources System
Item 8: Oral Questions

Page 277

Charles Dent

Charles Dent Frame Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as I have said, we agree that this is a serious issue, the issue around access to the records and how the information has failed. We will look at that. I will report back to the Member.

Further Return To Question 104-15(6): Security Breach Of GNWT Peoplesoft Human Resources System
Question 104-15(6): Security Breach Of GNWT Peoplesoft Human Resources System
Item 8: Oral Questions

Page 277

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Oral questions. The honourable Member for Tu Nedhe, Mr. Villeneuve.

Robert Villeneuve

Robert Villeneuve Tu Nedhe

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Just with what I mentioned earlier in my Member's statement, I just want to ask the Minister responsible for the Housing Corporation if his point of view is the same as mine, that elders know what is best for elders, especially in our smaller communities. The elders in the seniors' society in Fort Resolution went to great lengths to acquire property, get the Housing Corporation on side to move forward on an initiative of building a seniors' independent living six-plex and now it has been put on the back burner by the Housing Corporation. I just want to ask the Minister of Housing why all of a sudden there are some barriers put up by the regional office for the seniors to go out and seek more support letters from people they already had support letters from. Why is that happening, Mr. Speaker? Thank you.

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Villeneuve. Honourable Minister responsible for the Housing Corporation, Mr. Handley.

Return To Question 105-15(6): Housing Complex For Deninu Kue Seniors
Question 105-15(6): Housing Complex For Deninu Kue Seniors
Item 8: Oral Questions

May 16th, 2007

Page 277

Joe Handley

Joe Handley Weledeh

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This project has not been put on the back burner. Mr. Speaker, it changed from some singles housing and some housing for families to a six-plex for seniors at the request of the seniors.

What that does, Mr. Speaker, because of the limited amount of housing, is it does limit the options for single people and for families and has housing dedicated for seniors. We asked the seniors whether in the event there weren't enough seniors to occupy all of the new six-plex units at some point in the future, would they make the units then available to other singles or couples based on a waiting list. Mr. Speaker, the Deninu Kue First Nation, the seniors' society and the community council all replied that this was not a problem for them. We are only waiting now for the Fort Resolution Metis Council to give us the green light. I understand they are meeting on May 24th and the project is a go. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Return To Question 105-15(6): Housing Complex For Deninu Kue Seniors
Question 105-15(6): Housing Complex For Deninu Kue Seniors
Item 8: Oral Questions

Page 277

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Handley. Supplementary, Mr. Villeneuve.

Supplementary To Question 105-15(6): Housing Complex For Deninu Kue Seniors
Question 105-15(6): Housing Complex For Deninu Kue Seniors
Item 8: Oral Questions

Page 277

Robert Villeneuve

Robert Villeneuve Tu Nedhe

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I just want to get back, I don't know if when the seniors went out, they researched properties that might have been available. They went to the landowner, they got them to get in contact with the Housing Corporation to build a six-plex. To me, it's always been a six-plex right from day one. This is part of the affordable housing initiative. The seniors did assure the Housing Corporation that we have a list of 97 seniors whose average age is 68 years old in the community. Many of them are waiting to get into the seniors' six-plex, so you can rest assured that there is always a long waiting list for that. Is the Minister's department going to start the...I am sure they have a letter from the Metis already confirming their support for the six-plex, so why do we have to again start circulating support letters back to the department when they already have the support letters in place to originally get this thing off the ground? Why do they need another letter from all these organizations, Mr. Speaker? Thank you.

Supplementary To Question 105-15(6): Housing Complex For Deninu Kue Seniors
Question 105-15(6): Housing Complex For Deninu Kue Seniors
Item 8: Oral Questions

Page 277

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Villeneuve. Mr. Handley.