After hundreds of studentsSA国际影视传媒� names and their forgiven loans were published without their knowledge, the GNWT will now inform students up front of that policy.

However, the finance department will continue publishing student names in the annual document, despite continuous calls from MLAs to better protect individualsSA国际影视传媒� privacy by ending the practice.

Sebastien LeTourneau, whose name was among nearly 500 listed in the loan remissions section of the latest public accounts, for 2016-17, said he doesnSA国际影视传媒檛 recall ever being informed his information would be used in the GNWTSA国际影视传媒檚 financial statements.

SA国际影视传媒淥n one side, I donSA国际影视传媒檛 think the number attached to the name really means a lot,SA国际影视传媒� said LeTourneau. SA国际影视传媒淚tSA国际影视传媒檚 not like theySA国际影视传媒檙e showing off what amount we owe. But at the same time, I donSA国际影视传媒檛 really see any reason for them using our names at all.SA国际影视传媒�

He suggested a better practice would be to use numbers identifying students with their loan remissions, rather than publishing their full names.

But Jamie Koe, comptroller general, said the finance department conducted an internal review with the help of the justice department this summer and determined the GNWT is simply abiding by the law.

SA国际影视传媒淲e conducted a review of the Financial Administrative Act and we believe that we are still following the legislation,SA国际影视传媒� said Koe. SA国际影视传媒淪ection 62 ... provides for forgiveness of debt and Section 65 provides that we disclose any forgiveness in the public accounts.SA国际影视传媒�

Sections 62 and 65 of the act do not state whether names must be disclosed along with the forgiven debts.

The departmentSA国际影视传媒檚 internal review came after MLAs raised concern earlier this year about the practice of naming students in the GNWTSA国际影视传媒檚 public accounts.

In April, Frame Lake MLA Kevin OSA国际影视传媒橰eilly flagged a possible student privacy breach after more than 300 individuals were listed in the GNWTSA国际影视传媒檚 2015-16 document.

The same committee issued a report the previous year on the 2014-15 public accounts, recommending the finance department do away with naming students with loan remissions.

The GNWT responded to the recommendation this March, stating the information would SA国际影视传媒渃ontinue to be disclosed in the Public Accounts in accordance with the Financial Administration Act and to ensure transparency of these amounts to the public.SA国际影视传媒�

The committee again tabled a report this October, this time on the 2015-16 public accounts, reiterating their recommendation that students not be named.

It suggested the comptroller general reconsider amending the public accounts to include only dollar amounts for remissible loans, after consulting with the NWT Information and Privacy Commissioner and education department on the practice.

SA国际影视传媒淲e had no choice SA国际影视传媒� we had to do it under the current legislation,SA国际影视传媒� said Koe. SA国际影视传媒淲e did consult with (the education department). They are currently amending their student loan application form so this will be disclosed to students in advance as they apply for loans, that any loan remissions would be disclosed in the annual public accounts.SA国际影视传媒�

This is not something that was done before, he said.

From a public accountability perspective, NWT Information and Privacy Commissioner Elaine Keenan Bengts said the practice SA国际影视传媒渕akes sense.SA国际影视传媒�

However, student loan remissions are not bad debts, she said.

SA国际影视传媒淭hese are an animal of a different colour,SA国际影视传媒� said Keenan Bengts. SA国际影视传媒淭hese are remissible loans in a program that is intended exactly for that purpose.SA国际影视传媒�

She couldnSA国际影视传媒檛 say for certain whether student privacy has been breached under the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act, but suggested a privacy assessment could help.

The assessment would lay out the privacy concerns and make a public body examine what information theySA国际影视传媒檙e collecting, what theySA国际影视传媒檙e doing with the information and whether they really need it, she said.

SA国际影视传媒淚 didnSA国际影视传媒檛 look at whether there are any accounting principles involved here, which there may be,SA国际影视传媒� said Keenan Bengts. SA国际影视传媒淏ut, are there better ways of doing things? I think there probably could be.SA国际影视传媒�

She suggested a legislative change may be in order.

MLA Kieron Testart, who chairs the standing committee that recommended cutting student names from the public accounts, said a better balance needs to be struck between transparency and privacy.

SA国际影视传媒淎nd I think thereSA国际影视传媒檚 a way to do that,SA国际影视传媒� said Testart. SA国际影视传媒淩eally, the question now is: Is the minister of the opinion that this needs to change?SA国际影视传媒�

He said he wants the finance minister to make a case for why the practice of including student names in the public accounts must continue.

SA国际影视传媒淚f heSA国际影视传媒檚 unable to do so, well then it needs to change.SA国际影视传媒�