The Committee released two reports during the May/June sitting: Report on the Review of the Languages Commissioner for the Northwest Territories Annual Report 2020-2021 (May 26 2022) and Report on the Review of the 2020-2021 Annual Report of the Information and Privacy Commissioner (May 30, 2022). The reports contained recommendations that echoed points raised by the respective statutory officers in their annual reports. Examples include clarifying the role of the Languages Commissioner and creating a plan to reduce the use of fax machines in the Health and Social Services system.

The Committee met with the Office of the Auditor General (OAG) on May 31, 2022 to discuss the OAG’s report “Addictions Prevention and Recovery Services in the Northwest Territories”, released the same day. Committee will hold further hearings on the Department’s response to this report.

In the May/June sitting, the Committee was referred one piece of legislation to review—Bill 53: An Act to Amend the Liquor Act. A plain language summary of the bill can be found here.

In June, the Committee visited Fort Smith, Fort Providence and Behchokǫ̀ to learn the views and ideas of community members on two issues the Committee is reviewing: how to increase Indigenous representation in the public service, and the Official Languages Act. The Committee was grateful for the opportunity to spend time in these communities and learn from the people to better inform their work.

Public business in Spring 2022 included:

Public briefings, reviews and meetings

Briefing, Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs on Sport, recreation and youth (April 22, 2022)

Review, Northwest Territories Human Rights Commission on the Northwest Territories Human Rights Commission 2020-2021 Annual Report (April 26, 2022)