Thank you, Mr. Speaker
Public Transparency and Engagement in the Work of the 18th AssemblyBecause a key role of standing committees’ is to hold government accountable, much of the committees’ work is driven by action (or lack of action) by the government. Members note that the Mandate of the Government of the Northwest Territories, 2016-2019 includes pledges to:
● maximize citizens’ ability to access government by using consistent approaches to social media, visual identity, and overall communications;
● establish an Open Government Policy to enhance civic participation, increase the availability and accessibility of information about government activities, and explore new technologies for openness and accountability; and,
● improve opportunities for meaningful public input into government decision-making by improving access to government public engagement initiatives and reporting on how public views have shaped government decisions.
Improved transparency and engagement by standing committees is a necessary follow-up to effective work in these areas by the government.
The committee suggests that standing committees focus first on informing and educating the public, which should result in increased accountability and opportunity for consultation. The key objectives of this approach are to provide useful information to support public understanding and to obtain feedback on analysis, alternatives and/or decisions. A stepped approach should be taken based on results from previous measures and proven successes. Tools that can be utilized to educate and engage include the following:
● Open Houses
● Fact Sheets
● Bulletins
● Websites
● Meeting Schedules and Calendar
● Public Comment
● Focus Groups
● Surveys
● Public Meetings
The promise made in using such tools is that standing committees will keep the public informed, listen to and acknowledge concerns and aspirations, and provide feedback on how public input influenced decisions. By doing so, our hope is to generate further engagement and discussion. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'd like to hand this off to the honourable Member for Thebacha. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.