New commissioner would report to cabinet secretary
Kevin Wilson
Northern News Services
Yellowknife (Mar 02/01) - The territorial government tabled a new code of conduct for civil servants Monday, but some MLAs wonder if they got it right.
Joe Handley, Chair of the Financial Management Board says the code of conduct is necessary to "clarify for our employees and the public the high standards of professionalism that guide the public service."
The new regulations took effect the moment that Handley tabled them in the Legislature. It covers "all employees of the Government of the Northwest Territories in all departments, boards and agencies, except those employed by the NWT Power Corporation."
Abiding by the code of conduct is considered "a condition of employment with the GNWT."
Failure to comply with it can result in dismissal of an employee.
The new code covers matters like political activity for civil servants, receiving benefits, and keeping secrets, among other things.
However, a proposed ethics counsellor for employees will report to the government's cabinet secretary, rather than the whole Legislature.
But Frame Lake MLA Charles Dent says that the tabled document bears no resemblance to the proposals made by a panel struck in 1998 to look into conflict of interest guidelines for civil servants.
"They recommended two things, says Dent. "First, (conflict of interest) legislation for deputy ministers...second, they recommended that we have legislation to protect whistleblowers. All we've come forward with now is a code of conduct that doesn't cover deputy ministers.
That panel, commissioned by the Legislature's Members Services Board, recommendations that deputy ministers should be subject to guidelines similar to the ones that MLAs are subject to.
Dent and Thebacha MLA Michael Miltenbeger peppered Handley with questions about the code during Question Period Tuesday. Handley urged legislators to be patient, noting that the code is a "good first step," and that he is "looking at bringing forward a legislative proposal that will cover deputy ministers."
Miltenberger says the 28-page document tabled by Handley is very different from a 10-page draft presented for consultations last year.
"If I were a civil servant," says Miltenberger, "I'd be asking my union what they're going to do about this."
Handley says his department showed a draft of the guidelines to Georgina Rolt-Kaiser, President of the Union of Northern Workers last year.
At the time Handley says, the UNW and the Northwest Territories Teachers Association reviewed the guidelines. "Their main concern was that they be grievable, and they are."
An official with Handley's department is currently meeting with the union over the changes.
Georgina Rolt-Kaiser, President of the Union of Northern Workers says her union is going over the regulations "with a fine-toothed comb," and will comment publicly after being "walked through" the regulations by the government.
