Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

WHEREAS, the term of the Northwest Territories Legislative Assembly is prescribed by the Northwest Territories Act (Canada);

AND WHEREAS, the Northwest Territories Act stipulates that the term of a Legislative Assembly in the Northwest Territories is four years;

AND WHEREAS, the Constitution Act 1982 provides that the maximum term for the House of Commons and all provincial Legislative Assemblies should not extend beyond five years;

AND WHEREAS, all Legislatures in Canada with the exception of the Northwest Territories and Yukon Legislative Assemblies have a maximum of five years and an election can be called at any time within that time frame;

AND WHEREAS, the Northwest Territories Legislative Assembly does not have the power to dissolve itself and call an election without the approval of the Government of Canada;

AND WHEREAS, any Legislature should have a term of office that enables that Legislature to fully implement and carry out its decisions;

AND WHEREAS, a fixed term of four years does not permit an Assembly or government sufficient flexibility to address successfully the concerns of the residents of the Northwest Territories;

AND WHEREAS, the present term of the Legislative Assembly requires an election to be held in mid-winter;

NOW THEREFORE I MOVE, seconded by the Honourable Member for Hay River, that this Legislative Assembly adopt and recommend that the Executive Council request the Government of Canada to immediately amend the Northwest Territories Act to extend the term of a Legislative Assembly from four years to a period of up to five years; FURTHERMORE, that the amendment also permit the Legislative Assembly to dissolve itself and call a general election at any time within its legislative term.

The motion is in order, Mr. Lewis. To the motion. Mr. Lewis.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It has become very clear to us that the inflexibility that we currently have to endure places tremendous burdens on any new government which is elected. When we have a fixed term and we have an October or November election, there is no time to put together a budget to present to this House so we can pursue what I consider to be the proper course of having a budget on capital in the fall, and an O & M budget in the winter, so the proper planning can take place. In order to allow this Assembly to phase itself into a proper budget cycle, proper planning and a proper government agenda, we should be given the kind of flexibility that other legislatures have. I realize that our system is quite different from the system that exists in southern Canada, where, at any time, a leader who is unsure or would like to test his mandate, can just ask the Lieutenant Governor to go immediately to the people for a renewed mandate. In our system what I would propose, Mr. Speaker, through this motion, is that instead of having that power in the hands of a leader, we would decide simply by a vote of this Assembly to ask the Commissioner to dissolve us, so we could go to the people. That is really the intent of this motion, Mr. Speaker.

My own preference would be to have a spring election because that makes sense in terms of the new kind of government planning that is in place. We have endured a very difficult year in which we have had to go through several budget processes in order to achieve the objectives of the government. I believe it is one of the reasons why our own government appears to be, from time to time, in disarray. I have thought about this quite a bit. Why is it that we continually wonder what the agenda is, what the program is, and so on. I see the problem as being one of having sufficient flexibility in order to plan the agenda properly, instead of having to start from scratch and build a budget, two of them over a short period of time, which means we have to wait one whole year before the government can really get on track. This frustrated me a lot this past year. For that reason I decided this was the time to make another step in constitutional development, so that we would no longer have to go to Ottawa with our cap in our hand, asking the Minister of Indian Affairs if it is all right to do this or all right to do that. We should have the power ourselves, at least to ask the Commissioner as a federal representative like a Lieutenant Governor to dissolve so we can go to the people. My own personal preference would be to have an earlier election in the spring of 1995 instead of the fall of 1995. If the Members feel that we should just leave it and wait to see what kind of agenda is forthcoming and what kind of programs need to be fully fleshed out and implemented, then it will be up to the House to decide. However, we should have that kind of flexibility, Mr. Speaker.

Seconder, Mr. Pollard.

Question.

Question has been called. The mover has the opportunity to conclude debate. Mr. Lewis.

Question.

Question has been called. All those in favour? All those opposed? Motion is carried.

---Carried

Item 16, First Reading of Bills. Mr. Pollard.

Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Nunakput, that Bill 8, Payroll Tax Act, be read for the first time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Your motion is in order, Mr. Pollard. All those in favour? All those opposed? The motion is carried.

---Carried

Bill 8 has had first reading. Item 16, First Reading of Bills. Mr. Pollard.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Aivilik, that Bill 10, An Act to Amend the Income Tax Act, be read for the first time. Thank you.

The motion is in order, Mr. Pollard. All those in favour? All those opposed? The motion is carried.

---Carried

Bill 10 has had first reading. Item 17, Second Reading of Bills. Item 18, Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters: Committee Report 1-12(3), Standing Committee on Finance Report on the Review of the 1993-94 Capital Estimates, and Bill 1, Appropriation Act, No. 1, 1993-94 with Mr. Ningark in the Chair.

I thank you for your attention. The committee will now come to order. Yesterday we discussed the Education, Culture and Employment Programs budget. We were on Bill 1 and Committee Report 1-12(3) when we concluded yesterday. What is the wish of the committee? Mr. Todd.

Thank you. Mr. Chairman, we will proceed with Economic Development if we can.

Does the committee agree that we deal with the Department of Economic Development 1993-94 Capital Estimates?

Agreed.

Thank you. It has been a long morning. We will take a 15 minute break and come back.

---SHORT BREAK

Thank you. I think we had a good break and the committee will now come to order. There was a suggestion on the floor that we deal with the Department of Economic Development and Tourism. That is on page 15-11 of the 1993-94 Capital Estimates. Mr. Minister do you have opening remarks for the committee? Thank you.

Department Of Economic Development And Tourism, Introductory Remarks

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, the 1993-94 capital budget of the Department of Economic Development and Tourism is divided into two areas: tourism, including parks and visitors' centres; and the development corporation. I will deal with visitors' centres first, Mr. Chairman.

Through the 1993-94 capital plan, the department will finish the visitors' centre in Dawson City and begin construction of a regional centre in Inuvik. These two complementary facilities will increase the quantity, and improve the quality, of tourism information throughout the western Arctic.

The early summer of 1993 will also see the opening of the visitors' centre in Arviat.

In the parks area, Mr. Chairman, the funds provided in the capital plan will put the finishing touches on Blackstone, Saamba Deh, Lady Evelyn and Fred Henne Parks. Major renovations are planned for the Hay River Park and the Happy Valley campground in Inuvik. Once improved, it is anticipated that these two parks will be well-used each summer.

In some parks, Mr. Chairman, the main attractions are historical resources. The parks planned for the Meliadine River near Rankin Inlet and the Whaling Era buildings in Pangnirtung are projects through which people can come to understand and appreciate the north's rich history.

The two largest park initiatives in the capital plan are Katannilik, and Twin Falls. Katannilik Park includes the Soper River and the valley adjacent to Lake Harbour. Katannilik Park will especially appeal to hikers and canoeists who are seeking some of the fine Arctic scenery the north has to offer. Twin Falls Park is a consolidation of small, older highway parks on Highway No. 1, "the waterfalls route" near the Alberta border. This improved park will link Alexandra and Louise Falls by a scenic cliff side hiking trail.

Other types of facilities included in the capital plan are: roadside pull-offs; scenic look-outs; interpretive signs; and basic information signage to maintain the interest and diversion of visitors along the way.

Projects under the highway corridor development category include picnic areas and boat launch sites along the Ingraham Trail; improved highway signs along the Liard highway and the N.W.T. border, and the expansion of the highway route marker program along the highway to Fort Providence.

Tourism signage projects will be completed in Coppermine and Tuktoyaktuk, and new signs and outdoor displays will be developed in Cambridge Bay, Fort McPherson and Cape Dorset.

Last year, Mr. Chairman, the Standing Committee on Finance asked the department to provide more detail about the economic benefits resulting from our capital investments. During the development and construction phases alone, the projects proposed for 1993-94 are estimated to create 44 person years of local employment, which equates to 166 seasonal jobs. The data does not reflect the additional employment opportunities created because facilities are improved, consequently attracting more visitors for even longer periods of time.

Mr. Chairman, with regard to the N.W.T. Development Corporation, the corporation operates at arm's length from the department, and establishes its capital plan through an annual corporate plan.

Due to this status, it does not appear in the department's capital plan as a series of separate projects but rather as one summary budget.

The N.W.T. Development Corporation has a mandate to invest primarily for the benefit of lesser developed communities. This year it will invest some six million dollars toward the development of business opportunities. Those businesses are typically community-based with local boards playing a major role in their continued operation.

The development corporation is founded on the principle that increased local ownership and participation will lead to increased business success.

Mr. Chairman, in the first 18 months of operation, the Northwest Territories Development Corporation board of directors approved some $10.5 million in capital investments in 11 development corporation majority owned businesses, $1.2 million in eight pilot projects, and $4.1 million as a minority partner in nine joint ventures with N.W.T. entrepreneurs. In addition, the corporation will provide $1.8 million in operating subsidies to its majority owned business for the prior and current fiscal years.

Over the coming months, the development corporation will place emphasis on improving the management and support systems for its various ventures, increasing the productivity of its businesses, and seeking out joint venture opportunities, especially in lesser developed communities where it is not now present.

Time is required to refine its corporate strategy, communicate its mission more broadly, and increase community awareness of its programs. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Mr. Chairman, I respectfully request the inclusion of witnesses as we go through the budget. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Thank you, Mr. Minister. I will call two witnesses to come forward at the appropriate time, but in the order of the committee's procedure, I will ask the Standing Committee on Finance to make a presentation, if there is a presentation to be made, Mr. Dent.

Standing Committee On Finance Comments

Thank you, Mr. Dent. The motion is in order. To the motion.

Question.