Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I would like to make a few comments about the trade advisory committees. Subsection 7(1) of the Apprenticeship and Trade Certification Act allows a Minister to establish trade advisory committees for any specific trade or group of trades, and members are appointed by the Minister. Their statutory role is to provide advice for the Apprenticeship and Trade Certification Board in matters relating to apprentice training programs and tradespersons' qualifications.
There are no statutory restrictions on the number of trades for which an advisory committee can be established. In the past, there have been as many as eight. Presently there are four, and these are the carpenter trade advisory committee; the construction mechanical trade advisory committee; the heavy duty/motor vehicle trade advisory committee; and the housing maintainer trade advisory committee.
In reviewing the functions of these committees, the standing committee on agencies, boards and commissions realized that it is very important to ensure that the Department of Education and Arctic College receive input on new standards, training methods, and technologies in the various trades disciplines. The trade advisory committees have been fulfilling this function.
The standing committee on agencies, boards and commissions was of the opinion that this function be performed through other means. A restructured Apprenticeship and Trade Certification Board could be established in a fashion which allows input from the range of designated trades in the Northwest Territories. Arctic College campuses offering trades training could establish smaller, voluntary program advisory committees capable of providing the administration and faculty with input from industry. Provisions could be added to the Apprenticeship and Trade Certification Act which allows the supervisor of apprenticeship programs to appoint smaller committees for a specified time to perform assigned tasks.
Motion To Adopt Recommendation 2, Carried
Mr. Chairman, I would like to make motion number two. I move that the Apprenticeship and Trade Certification Act be amended to eliminate all provisions dealing with the establishment or function of trade advisory committees.