Thank you, Mr. Chair. On Thursday, March 2, 2017, the Standing Committee on Government Operations presented its report on the review of the Northwest Territories Information and Privacy Commissioner's 2014-2015 and 2015-2016 Annual Reports. The report, which includes eight recommendations, was read into the record by the chair of the committee, and a motion was passed that moved the report into Committee of the Whole.
Mr. Chair, the standing committee's recommendations largely centre around two key pieces of legislation and the government's work related to them. They are the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act, otherwise known as the ATIPP Act, and the Health Information Act.
With respect to the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act, the committee notes that the Government of the Northwest Territories Department of Justice is currently in the process of reviewing the act. The committee observes that, over the course of many years, the Information and Privacy Commissioner has made a number of recommendations for improvement to the ATIPP Act, and, in its report, the committee recommends the department compile a list of these recommendations for the purpose of ensuring that they are considered during the review process.
The committee further recommends that the department identify, in the legislative proposal, how the Information and Privacy Commissioner's recommendations are being addressed.
Finally, the committee urges the department to take the steps necessary to ensure that a revised ATIPP Act is brought into force during the life of this Assembly.
With respect to the Health Information Act, the standing committee is concerned by the IPC's perception that health authorities have not done enough to bring themselves into compliance with the Health Information Act, and that the Government of the Northwest Territories, to ensure that all residents are aware of their rights under the act, has also been less than adequate. The committee has made a number of recommendations designed to address this concern.
The committee again thanks Ms. Elaine Keenan-Bengts, the Information Privacy Commissioner, for her reports and her appearance before the committee on October 20, 2016. Committee looks forward to discussing its reports. Thank you very much, Mr. Chair.