Legislative Assembly briefs
Premier taken to task over devolution
Elaine Anselmi
Northern News Services
Friday, February 27, 2015
SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
Harsh words on the government's communication over devolution were offered up by Weledeh MLA Bob Bromley on Wednesday.
"Last March, the government adopted sweeping devolution legislation without one iota of public review," Bromley said in his member's statement.
"Members of this house insisted that a meaningful process for public input be put in place. The process now in place is pitiful."
Efforts to explain changes under devolution have been limited to newspaper ads and the government website, Bromley said, adding the response to posted questions come at a glacial pace.
Premier Bob McLeod responded to the criticism, suggesting Bromley is the only individual who deems the outreach a failure - citing 2,100 website reviews without one complaint of accessibility.
As far as questions submitted on the website, McLeod said there have been only two: one on a director's legal obligations and one concerned with bringing a pet monkey to the NWT.
"The member is suggesting there is a groundswell of public that can't wait to respond and review all of this legislation but I see no evidence of that," said McLeod.
A report on the process will be submitted to the standing committee before the end of session for review, McLeod said. The affected departments can then respond on their own specific legislation.
Bromley suggested a lack of legislation explanations in plain language was hindering transparency and promoting public apathy.
"I have a hard time being interested myself with the sort of response I get from the premier, so his strategy is working," said Bromley.
"The lack of interest is not really a lack of interest, it's a lack of opportunity to engage."
Justice minister takes hits for RCMP's response
The Department of Justice's priorities were called into question after a man was charged with two counts of sexual assault and break and enter without the public being notified for more than two weeks that he was on the loose.
"From my understanding, the police knew this predator was on the prowl," said Yellowknife Centre MLA Robert Hawkins said.
"When does the public interest start to matter enough that they are informed that their personal safety may be at risk?"
The incident, Justice Minister David .Ramsay responded, is a police matter and the RCMP decides at which point there is a need to inform the public.
"They have to weigh a number of factors before they consider notifying the public," Ramsay said. "Perhaps we could engage the RCMP if members want a briefing on how this works."
Hawkins called the response "passing the buck" and pressed the minister on what the department would do to prioritize public safety.
"The questions the member is asking today I find somewhat insulting to the people that are putting their lives on the line everyday, going to work and keeping our communities safe," Ramsay said.
Clarifying his utmost respect for people in uniform, Hawkins said he was not concerned with the minister's feelings.
"I want to know if he's going to take the public's interest first or protect the institution?" said Hawkins.
Public safety is the priority of the RCMP and the department, Ramsay said, offering that there would be a conversation about public engagement on safety concerns.
MLAs take on education theme
MLAs took on the theme of education on Feb. 24 with some firing questions about daycare and junior kindergarten.
Frame Lake MLA Wendy Bisaro brought up funding for daycare services, questioning a review that was to be completed on the issue in October.
"Part of the review, as I understand it, was to look at the review to review child care costs for parents and to particularly look at the impact that child care has on their cost of living and so on," said Bisaro.
The review, Education Minister Jackson Lafferty said, would be completed in March, though he did not give an explanation for the delay. The whole issue of costs, he said, would be a part of it. Hay River North MLA Robert Bouchard also questioned Lafferty on the status of a review of the process of rolling out junior kindergarten across the territory.
Consultants have been hired to gather feedback from various groups including aboriginal governments, daycare providers and the general public.
"We're expecting that report and the overall review to be completed by July 2015," Lafferty said.
"Then we will sit down to figure things out from there."
