Rylund Johnson

I am glad to hear that they are working together. I am hoping that I won't be hearing that in three years and this issue won't be resolved. Another key issue in this matter is that, before the land can legally be transferred, the surveying costs for land of this size is significant. Can the Department of Lands update me on any efforts to find funding to conduct that surveying, and who is ultimately responsible that cost?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions are for the Minister of Lands. Previously, the Minister of Lands said that he will have a process set out for transferring land within municipal boundaries to municipal governments. Specifically, my concern is with the City of Yellowknife and transferring the vacant Commissioner's land, not the land that is currently withdrawn. Can the Minister provide an update on any process that has been made on this front? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Madam Chair. There is nothing built into the legislation to specifically clarify that decision. It would be up to the rules and procedures committee and subject to the Speaker, depending, you know, exactly what the scenario was. I suspect all efforts would be made to reconnect the Member and to find a way to make sure they could digitally cast their vote, should they be disconnected. Thank you, Madam Chair.

I look forward to seeing that plan and the timeline for it. Another big, key question in getting this polytechnic off the ground is getting the capital funding, specifically, the capital funding from Ottawa. I know there was work to be done at the Fort Smith campus, work to be done at the Inuvik campus. Yellowknife is looking at the possibility of a new campus. Can the Minister update us on any progress that has been made towards obtaining the capital to building new infrastructure for the polytechnic?

And Mr. Reddy.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I believe now more than ever, we have to ensure that our plan to create a polytechnic university is on track, and ideally, I'd like to see it sooner rather than later. My question is for the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment. Is the current timeline as set out on the mandate to establish a polytechnic university on track? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I'd like to introduce Tim Mercer, clerk of the Legislative Assembly, and Mike Reddy, director of legislation, seated to my left at the witness table.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. There are gaps. I think one of the gaps is we have that open policy, and that work was started by the previous Minister of transparency and engagement. That work has largely not been actualized. I'm unsure if the responsibility of that policy lies with ISSS. Can the Premier make sure that there is a unit where someone is clearly in charge of implementing the goals in the open government policy which was developed? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I believe, in the future, I will direct my questions to the Minister of Finance. I do think that the centralization of ISSS will bring some of this work, but ultimately, they need to reach in the departments. Each Minister needs to be responsible for this. I think COVID has shown us that more and more government data needs to be public, and more and more services need to be online. One of the things that should come out of this: every single government service should be available online eventually. Is the Minister willing to put that in mandate letters to department that they work to bring...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I believe this Assembly needs to take drastic steps to become a more open and transparent and digital government. I would like to thank the last Assembly for all their work on the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act. I believe that ATIPP Act is truly one of the best in the country, yet it is still not in force and, during this pandemic, I have heard no shortage of complaints from both media and the public that not enough information and data is available.

Mr. Speaker, the Information and Privacy Commissioner presented her annual report to the Standing...