This is page numbers 5839 - 16 of the Hansard for the 18th Assembly, 3rd 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 work. View the webstream of the day's session.

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Kieron Testart

Kieron Testart Kam Lake

Thank you, Mr. Chair. One of the sources that we often look at to understand public sector accounting and how governments report on their own finances is annual reports from the C.D. Howe Institute. That is not our sole authoritative source, but it is a very good one. They have done a lot of work on this, and they grade different provinces and territories in the quality of how they are reporting their public accounts. Unfortunately, the GNWT usually receives around a D. PEI got worse. They have a D-. It is imperative that we find better ways to improve.

A consolidated budget is one of those things that is going to help, but there are any other steps that can be taken to improve the public financial reporting. We didn't want to be prescriptive or only rely on one think tank's, not matter how qualified, reporting. This motion calls for the government to look into different options on how to better do public financial reporting and then bring those in to the Legislative Assembly. Hopefully, our successor committee can then pick up that report and make recommendations and, if there aren't changes that have been made, or, if there have been changes, endorse those changes. I think this is a good way to identify an evidence-based way to improve public financial reporting of the GNWT, and I hope my colleagues support it today. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

The Chair

The Chair Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Mr. Testart. To the motion.

Some Hon. Members

Question.

The Chair

The Chair Frederick Blake Jr.

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

---Carried

Mr. Testart.

Kieron Testart

Kieron Testart Kam Lake

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I move that this Assembly recommends that the Department of Finance provide the standing committee with the opportunity to review and provide comment on the platform and content used for the public disclosure of contaminated sites prior to the finalization of this work. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

The Chair

The Chair Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Mr. Testart. The motion is on the floor and has been distributed. The motion is in order. To the motion. Mr. Testart.

Kieron Testart

Kieron Testart Kam Lake

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Environmental liability has been a subject of interest for the committee over the years reviewing the public accounts. Again, the transparency around these liabilities has improved year on year. We have recommended that the GNWT put this information on some sort of website or single portal so it's very clear what the environmental liabilities are, where they're located, and additional information that may be relevant to an interested member of the public. The Treasury Board of Canada has a similar digital repository for the environmental liabilities of the Government of Canada. We believe that model is an excellent one, and we have made recommendations to pursue it.

I should mention that the government is actually working on a single portal like this, and we commend them for that effort. Prior to it being finalized, and rather than be proscriptive and say do what the Treasury Board has done, this motion just calls for some sort of electronic platform, or a platform to come forward, and for the committee to be able to see it before it's finalized to make sure it conforms with the expectations of the committee based on its knowledge of the reviews of the public accounts, and this longstanding concern around how best to present environmental liabilities.

Again, we know this work is being done, and we commend the work. We just want to make sure the committee is involved in the final product. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

The Chair

The Chair Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Mr. Testart. To the motion.

Some Hon. Members

Question.

The Chair

The Chair Frederick Blake Jr.

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

---Carried

Mr. Testart.

Kieron Testart

Kieron Testart Kam Lake

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I move that this Assembly recommends that the Government of the Northwest Territories provide a response to this report within 120 days. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

The Chair

The Chair Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Mr. Testart. The motion is on the floor and has been distributed. The motion is in order. To the motion.

Some Hon. Members

Question.

The Chair

The Chair Frederick Blake Jr.

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

---Carried

Thank you, committee. Do you agree that you have concluded consideration of Committee Report 19-18(3)?

Some Hon. Members

Agree.

The Chair

The Chair Frederick Blake Jr.

Agreed. Thank you, committee. We have concluded consideration of Committee Report 19-18(3), Standing Committee on Government Operations Report of the 2017-2018 Public Accounts of the Northwest Territories. Does committee agree?

Some Hon. Members

Agreed.

The Chair

The Chair Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you. Mr. Testart.

Kieron Testart

Kieron Testart Kam Lake

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I move the chair rise and report progress.

The Chair

The Chair Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Mr. Testart. I will now rise and report progress, and the motion in non-debatable. Does committee agree?

Some Hon. Members

Agreed.

---Carried

Report Of Committee Of The Whole
Report Of Committee Of The Whole

Page 5874

Some Hon. Members

Mr. Speaker, your committee has been considering Committee Report 19-18(3), Standing Committee Report on the Review of the 2017-2018 Public Accounts, and would like to report progress. Committee Report 19-18(3) was concluded with four motions adopted. Mr. Speaker, I move that the report of the Committee of the Whole be concurred with. Thank you.

Report Of Committee Of The Whole
Report Of Committee Of The Whole

Page 5874

The Deputy Speaker

The Deputy Speaker R.J. Simpson

Thank you. Do I have a seconder? Member for Kam Lake. The motion is in order and non-debatable. All those in favour? All those opposed? The motion is carried.

---Carried

Item 22, third reading of bills. Minister of Environment and Natural Resources.

Bill 38: Protected Areas Act
Third Reading Of Bills

Page 5875

Robert C. McLeod

Robert C. McLeod Inuvik Twin Lakes

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Hay River South, that Bill 38, Protected Areas Act, be read for a third time. Mr. Speaker, I request a recorded vote. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Bill 38: Protected Areas Act
Third Reading Of Bills

Page 5875

The Deputy Speaker

The Deputy Speaker R.J. Simpson

Thank you. The motion is in order. To the motion.