Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thanks, Ms. Bisaro.

ATIPP Legislation for Municipalities

The Information and Privacy Commissioner has repeatedly recommended that the GNWT complete the work necessary to establish legislation governing the collection, use and disposal of information by municipalities. This recommendation is reiterated again in the Information and Privacy Commissioner’s 2013-2014 Annual Report, along

with a notation indicating that the Information and Privacy Commissioner looks forward to providing input on a discussion paper being prepared on this matter by Municipal and Community Affairs.

The GNWT tabled the discussion paper in question, along with its response to the committee’s report on the review of the 2012-2013 Annual Report of the IPC. SCOGO provided a copy to the Information and Privacy Commissioner, and her comments were subsequently forwarded by the committee to the Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs.

Committee Recommendations to the GNWT

Having considered the information put forward by the IPC in her 2013-2014 Annual Report and the discussion held during the public meeting of January 16, 2015, the Standing Committee on Government Operations provides the following recommendations to the GNWT:

ATIPP Legislation for Municipalities

The committee took note of the explanation provided in the GNWT’s Response to the Committee’s Report on the Review of the 2012-2013 Annual Report of the IPC, Tabled Document 118-17(5), for the delays associated with this project.

The committee wishes to stress to the government the importance of finalizing this legislation so that the rights of NWT residents respecting access to and protection of information collected by municipalities are articulated and enshrined in law.

The committee reminds the GNWT that the IPC’s recommendations for legislation in this area stretch back before the 17th Legislative Assembly and that

previous standing committees have also supported the Commissioner’s recommendation to make municipalities subject to access and privacy legislation.

In their Report on the Review of the 2011-12 Report of the IPC, the committee recommended that an ATIPP bill for municipalities be brought forward in the first two years of the 17th Assembly. The

committee noted its concerns about the slow pace of the initiative at that time.

The committee continues to be very concerned about this. The committee notes that in the GNWT’s most recent response, the deadline for a final report by October 2014, noted in TD 14-17(4), has given way to a commitment to complete the What We Heard report by March 2015, TD 118-17(5), with no further commitment regarding when the final report may now be expected.

Recommendation 1

The Standing Committee on Government Operations again recommends that the Government of the Northwest Territories make every effort to complete the work necessary to

bring municipalities under access to information and protection of privacy legislation.

The Standing Committee on Government Operations additionally recommends that the GNWT renew its commitment to complete the final report during the life of the 17th Assembly;

and

That the government table the final report no later than the August 2015 sitting identifying, for the consideration of the 18th Assembly, the next

steps and resources necessary to complete this work in a timely manner and, as the committee has recommended in previous years, a proposal be included for phasing this work such that tax-based municipalities may be brought under ATIPP legislation without any further delay than is absolutely necessary and which leaves open the possibility that smaller communities may be phased in at a later date.

I now turn the report over to Mr. Dolynny.