The Northwest Territories.

AuthorBennett, Gail
PositionLegislative Reports

The Fifth Session of the 17th Legislative Assembly reconvened on May 28, 2014. During the seven-day sitting the House considered and adopted four pieces of legislation, including two supplementary appropriation bills dealing with both infrastructure and operations expenditures.

The Assembly also considered and adopted An Act to Amend the Elections and Plebiscites Act. The amendments contained in the bill included increased access to mobile polls and absentee ballots; changes to produce a more accurate voters' list; expanded opportunities for vouching; and general clarification of procedures and processes.

All bills received assent from the Commissioner of the Northwest Territories, George L. Tuccaro, on June 5, 2014.

Four additional bills were also introduced, received first and second reading and were referred to a standing committee for consideration during the summer and fall months. Committees are expected to report back on legislation when the House reconvenes on October 16, 2014.

Committees

Michael Nadli, Chair of the Standing Committee on Government Operations, presented the Committee's Report on the Review of the 2014 Report of the Auditor General of Canada on Northwest Territories Child and Family Services. The Committee met with the Assistant Auditor General and senior officials from the Department of Health and Social Services in late April, 2014 to consider the Auditor General's report, which was generally deemed to be extremely critical of current practices and procedures.

The Standing Committee's final report contained 30 recommendations relating to the improvement of an accountability framework, the development of standards and procedures, and training of child protection workers. The report was considered in the House on June 2, 2014, with all 30 motions being adopted by the Assembly. The Department is required to respond to the Committee report within 120 days.

The Standing Committee on Government Operations also released its report titled Establishing an Office of the Ombudsman for the Northwest Territories on June 4, 2014. The report was tabled in response to an earlier motion of the Assembly which referred the matter of the establishment of an ombudsman's office to the Standing Committee for research, review and analysis. The report is available online for public comment and review over the summer and early fall and is expected to...

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