Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Natilikmiot, that Bill 9, An Act to Amend the Insurance Act, be read for the second time. Mr. Speaker, this bill would amend the Insurance Act to allow a warning respecting a limit to the amount payable under an insurance contract to be printed in bold print of a certain size; and to increase the insurance premium tax from two per cent to three per cent, and the fire insurance premium tax from .5 per cent to one per cent. Thank you.

Your motion is in order. To the principle of the bill.

Question.

Question has been called. All those in favour? Opposed? The motion is carried.

---Carried

Bill 9 has had second reading, and accordingly the bill stands referred to a committee. Second reading of bills. Consideration in committee of the whole of bills and other matters: Ministers' Statement 10-12(2), Education Dispute; Tabled Document 9-12(2), Strength at Two Levels; Tabled Document 10-12(2), Reshaping Northern Government; Committee Report 2-12(2), Report of the Standing Committee on Agencies, Boards and Commissions: Report on the Apprenticeship and Trade Certification Board and the Trade Advisory Committees, with Mr. Pudluk in the chair.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Can we deal with Committee Report 2-12(2), Report of the Standing Committee on Agencies, Boards and Commissions: Report on the Apprenticeship and Trade Certification Board and the Trade Advisory Committees?

Is the committee agreed?

Agreed.

---Agreed

We will deal with Committee Report 2-12(2) first, but now we will take 15 minutes for coffee.

---SHORT RECESS

Committee Report 2-12(2), Report Of The Standing Committee On Agencies, Boards And Commissions: Report On The Apprenticeship And Trade Certification Board And The Trade Advisory Committees

The committee will come to order. We are going to deal with Committee Report 2-12(2). Mr. Koe, do you wish to make opening remarks?

Comments From The Standing Committee On Agencies, Boards And Commissions

As I mentioned earlier, the standing committee on agencies, boards and commissions met in mid-January in Fort Smith, and one of the activities we looked at was the Apprenticeship and Trade Certification Board and the trade advisory committees. The standing committee has made some observations and a series of recommendations, and I would like to go through those.

Apprenticeship And Trade Certification Board

First of all I would like to talk about the Apprenticeship and Trade Certification Board. Subsection 5(1) of the Apprenticeship and Trade Certification Act makes it mandatory for the Minister to establish a board called the Apprenticeship and Trade Certification Board. Seven Members must be appointed by the Minister, such that there is equal representation of employers and employees from the trades occupations. The board is required under the act to hold a minimum of four meetings each year.

The board is intended to perform several functions. It is empowered to hear appeals of certification decisions made by the supervisor of apprentices, but such an appeal has never been made. It also reviews recommendations made by the trade advisory committees on training and examination issues. It takes on other duties assigned to it by the Minister, although the standing committee could find no instances in which this has taken place. It can make recommendations to the Minister about which trades should be designated and about regulations governing the trade, and it can make recommendations for appointments to trade advisory committees.

In reviewing the composition of the Apprenticeship and Trade Certification Board, the standing committee agreed that it was important to ensure existing levels of representation of employer and employee interests. While the standing committee would encourage the Minister to make appointments which provide adequate regional and women's representation, as well as representation from the full range of designated trades, it was felt that this was unnecessary to establish this in legislation.

However, the standing committee was of the opinion that some adjustments should be made to the statutory role and meeting requirements of the Apprenticeship and Trade Certification Board. Statutory authority to hear appeals should be taken from the board, and the act should be amended to allow the Minister to appoint time-limited appeal panels. The standing committee also felt that a requirement for the board to meet at least four times yearly should be removed in favour of meetings held at the call of the Chair.

Motion To Adopt Recommendation 1, Carried

Mr. Chairman, our first recommendation is, and I would like to make it a motion: I move that the Apprenticeship and Trade Certification Act be amended to a) repeal provisions requiring the Apprenticeship and Trade Certification Board to meet four times each year; b) repeal provisions which require the Apprenticeship and Trade Certification Board to determine appeals relating to apprenticeship contracts; and c) allow the Minister to establish appeal panels which would be in existence for a time-limited period for the specific purpose of determining appeals relating to apprenticeship contracts.

Thank you, Mr. Koe. I should have allowed the other Members to make comments before recommendation 1 was reached. The motion is in order. To the motion.

Question.

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

---Carried

Mr. Koe.

Trade Advisory Committees

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.

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

Mr. Chairman, just a correction if I may. My friend said, "I would like to make motion number two." I think he was trying to say, "I would like to make a motion on recommendation number two."

Thank you. To the motion.

Question.

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

--- Carried

Mr. Koe.

Mandate For Workplace Safety

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The committee also looked at other matters. The first was the mandate for workplace safety. From our review of the consolidated resolutions of the Apprenticeship and Trade Certification Board it was noted that recommendations on safety matters had been referred to the Minister. While this is laudable on the part of the board, the standing committee on agencies, boards and commissions could find no indication that the Minister had specifically assigned the Apprenticeship and Trade Certification Board "other duties" in this respect, pursuant to section 6(1)(c) of the act. Presently, a number of GNWT departments -- for instance Health, Safety and Public Services, and the Labour Standards Board -- and agencies such as the Workers' Compensation Board are active in the study and enforcement of workplace safety standards. The standing committee was concerned that these initiatives should proceed in a co-ordinated plan and should be subject to program evaluation.

Motion To Adopt Recommendation 3, Carried

Mr. Chairman, our third recommendation deals with this matter, and I would like to move that the government undertake a review of all workplace safety initiatives, services, education strategies and studies and prepare a plan for their co-ordination and evaluation.

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

Question.

Question has been called. All those in favour? Opposed, if any? The motion is carried.

---Carried

Mr. Koe.

Promotion And Awareness Of Trades Careers

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to make a few comments on promotion and awareness of trades careers. The standing committee on agencies, boards and commissions took special note when the chairperson of the Apprenticeship and Trade Certification Board pointed out that there exists a "negative social perception" of trades careers. Trades training has been undervalued as a career option, too often equated with inaccurate images of "dirty jobs," "blue collar lifestyles" and "boring work." In contrast, the high earning potential and excellent opportunities for personal growth and the community esteem associated with trades in the North are a reality often overlooked by persons looking for career development options.

Members of the standing committee agreed that there has been insufficient promotion of apprenticeship and trade certification as a career path. It was noted, for instance, that among the widely distributed series of "Northerners on the Move" posters, not one of the role models depicted was a tradesperson.

The standing committee wishes to stress that the trades sector should be a valued component of the human resource base of the NWT. With increased emphasis on self-sufficient communities and the advent of industrial mega-projects, the demand for skilled, qualified tradespeople will become intensive. Northerners should be encouraged to prepare for these career opportunities now, so they will not be lost to non-resident workers in the future.

Motion To Adopt Recommendation 4, Carried

Mr. Chairman. our fourth recommendation: I move that the Department of Education work with the Apprenticeship and Trade Certification Board to develop and table in the Legislative Assembly a plan for emphasizing the designated trades as an excellent training and career opportunity for residents of the NWT. Mahsi.