Thank you. And that is a big hill to climb, and so there's no rush on my part to get municipalities under ATIPP because while it is important I believe that, you know, the public access information, and I've looked at ATIPP reports from other jurisdictions where the municipalities are subject to ATIPP and they have, you know, a community of a few hundred people, might have one full-time person doing ATIPP work. So it's important that they have the proper recordkeeping systems and that they have the proper training. But for some specifics on how things are rolling out, I can ask the deputy minister. Thank you.
Debates of March 4th, 2022
This is page numbers 3755 - 3792 of the Hansard for the 19th Assembly, 2nd 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 know.
Topics
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Doolittle
Mahsi, Madam Chair. So in order to bring municipalities under the act, the department has worked with MACA to draft a terms of reference to establish a working group. This includes representatives from the NWT Association of Communities and local government administrators of the NWT. That terms of reference was presented in April 2020, and the working group last met November 15th, 2021, and is reviewing the terms of reference.
They will be tasked with the development of a realistic and measured implementation plan that will address timelines, training needs, resource requirements of community governments to operationalize their ATIPP responsibilities. So they're involved, and I think everyone is trying to have a very realistic approach to this. Mahsi, Madam Chair.
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Rylund Johnson Yellowknife North
Thank you, Madam Chair. I'm glad to hear that. Yeah, I recognize it is a big hill to climb, as the Minister said.
When we spoke with the information and privacy commissioner, they expressed some concerns that, you know, some people -- the people in the departments are not getting the training they need for this job. And some people have, you know, another role and then they're often, you know, told do ATIPPs as well and some went years without getting any sort of formal training on how to do ATIPPs.
Does this unit train people in other departments, and can we -- does this unit kind of track who is doing ATIPPs in all the other departments and making sure that, you know, they're properly resourced? Some departments are much better than others and some really do not seem to think that this is a priority. So I'm just -- can the Minister speak to any training that this unit does? Thank you.
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R.J. Simpson Hay River North
Thank you. And this office does provide advice. It provides support. And it is designing a new suite of access and privacy training modules. So that work is happening. For some detail, perhaps I could pass it over to the deputy minister. Thank you.
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Doolittle
Thank you, Madam Chair. The access and privacy office is designing a new suite of access and privacy training, including updating the general privacy awareness training that is accessible to all GNWT employees as well as how to address privacy breaches, privacy impact assessments, and we do have a request for proposals to design. We have the substantive material but we have to put it in a format to be delivered and reach people so that we have a request for proposals out for that, and we're hoping to be ready for the summer/fall of 2022.
The access and privacy office currently offers one-on-one training for new ATIPP coordinators in all departments. So they are aware of who the ATIPP coordinators are and will meet one-on-one to train them. Mahsi, Madam Chair.
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The Chair Lesa Semmler
Thank you. Are there any other questions from Members for services to government? Member for Deh Cho.
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Ronald Bonnetrouge Deh Cho
Mahsi, Madam Chair. I'm looking at page 302, the rental office, can you explain that? Because I recall we used to have a residential rental office or a rental officer. I'm not sure if that's the same or what it is. Mahsi.
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The Chair Lesa Semmler
Thank you, Member. We're on services to government. That's services to the public. So that's the next section. I'll put you on the list for first one. No, that's the next section. We'll call this one and then I'll put you on the list. Okay.
So services to government, operation -- Justice, services to government, operations expenditure summary, 2022-2023 Main Estimates, $13,188,000. Does committee agree?
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Some Hon. Members
Agreed.
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The Chair Lesa Semmler
Thank you. I will now call the Justice service to the public, on page 302, with information items on 303. And Member for Deh Cho.
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Ronald Bonnetrouge Deh Cho
You have to remind me what I was saying there. Yeah, maybe the Minister heard my question before but can you just tell us about what that entails, the rental office, because all these they don't have, like, longwinded titles that we used to see before. These are all the shortened versions, so. Mahsi.
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R.J. Simpson Hay River North
Thank you. The office of the rental officer administers the public -- or the Residential Tenancies Act or I guess a -- resolve disputes under the Residential Tenancies Act. So if a tenant has an issue with their landlord or a landlord has an issue with their tenant, they can take it to their Residential Tenancies Act. It is -- the GNWT pays for it but it is not a GNWT entity per se because it does regulate disputes between the Housing Corporation and residents -- tenants of the Housing Corporation. Thank you.
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Ronald Bonnetrouge Deh Cho
Mahsi. So does your department, Justice, regulate that or that office to hear complaints or lodge complaints? Mahsi.
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R.J. Simpson Hay River North
Thank you. The rules surroundings complaints and the process for resolving those is laid out in the Residential Tenancies Act, and that office administers the act and deals with complaints according to that legislation. And we support that office by -- you know, with financial means as well as amendments to the act on occasion to help, you know, streamline its services, make its services more accessible. So, thank you.
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Ronald Bonnetrouge Deh Cho
Mahsi. I'm wondering if the Minister could provide information, or if he knows, the amount of complaints that have gone to the office? Mahsi.
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R.J. Simpson Hay River North
Thank you. Every year, the rental officer produces a report and there are statistics in that report. I don't have those numbers on hand. I don't think we have those numbers on hand right now but there is a report that I've tabled in this Assembly with that information. Thank you.