Standing Committee on Government Operations Present Review of Auditor General Report

Standing Committee on Government Operations Present Review of Auditor General Report

(YELLOWKNIFE) March 7, 2017 – The Legislative Assembly’s Standing Committee on Government Operations, chaired by Mr. Kieron Testart, presented today the Report on the Review of the Report of the Auditor General of Canada on Support for Communities for Municipal Services in the Northwest Territories –Municipal and Community, which was tabled in the Assembly on October 25, 2016.

The report has seven recommendations (see below for list of recommendations) and will be reviewed by Members in Committee of the Whole. 

“The Auditor General’s report found that the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs did not do enough to support community governments in delivering essential services critical to the health and safety of NWT residents,” said Mr. Testart. “The committee is troubled by these findings, however we are encouraged that the Minister has accepted all of the Auditor General’s recommendations and that the department has developed a comprehensive action plan to implement them.”

“In our committee report, we made further recommendations to the Minister based on both the Auditor General’s report and the Department’s Action Plan,” said Deputy Chair R.J. Simpson. “We believe these additional recommendations will enhance the government’s attempts to address the deficiencies identified by the Auditor General.”

The Standing Committee on Government Operations has a mandate to review reports of the Auditor General, including performance audits of government departments. 

For more information, please contact:

Kieron Testart
Chair, Standing Committee on Government Operations
Legislative Assembly of the Northwest Territories
P: 867-767-9133 ext. 12135
E: kieron_testart@gov.nt.ca 

Danielle Mager
Manager, Public Affairs and Communications
Legislative Assembly of the Northwest Territories
P: 867-767-9130 ext. 12017
E: danielle_mager@gov.nt.ca 

Recommendations from the Report on the Review of the 2016 Report of the Auditor General of Canada on Support for Municipal Services in the Northwest Territories

Recommendation 1

The Standing Committee on Government Operations endorses the 13 recommendations made by the Office of the Auditor General in its report and recommends that the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs take the steps necessary to ensure that all recommendations are implemented in a timely manner.

Recommendation 2

The Standing Committee on Government Operations recommends that, in future, any GNWT department being audited provide the Standing Committee on Government Operations with a copy of its action or implementation plan at the earliest possible opportunity and no later than three business days prior to the Public Review on the Auditor General’s report consistent with the Process Convention on Communications between Cabinet Ministers, Standing Committees and Regular Members.

Recommendation 3

The Standing Committee on Government Operations recommends that any GNWT department, selected in future for an audit, provide the Standing Committee on Government Operations with a copy of its action or implementation plan in draft format and, further, that the document not be finalized until the Department has had an opportunity to consider the recommendations made as a result of the Standing Committee’s review.

Recommendation 4

The Standing Committee on Government Operations recommends that Department consult with Local Government Administrators of the Northwest Territories and the Northwest Territories Association of Municipalities on the proposed actions contained in the Action Plan before finalizing it.

Recommendation 5

The Standing Committee on Government Operations recommends that the Department include indicators in its action plan which measure progress in implementing identified actions as a means of achieving improvements in essential service delivery at the community level.

Recommendation 6

The Standing Committee on Government Operations strongly recommends that the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs simplify its approach in responding to the Auditor General’s recommendations at paragraphs 109 and 112, such that the proposed actions are responsive to the purpose and intent of each recommendation;

And further, that the Department subsequently adjust its 2019-2020 target date, identified under proposed Priority Action 109.6 to allow for a more timely response.

Recommendation 7
The Standing Committee on Government Operations recommends that the Government provide a response to this report within 120 days.