I would ask Members if they would speak to the motion. We are straying from the motion. To the motion. Mr. Patterson.

Mr. Speaker, I guess the motion is to establish this committee, and I have to say, in speaking to the motion, that I would not want to see this very important committee start off on the wrong foot. I believe that until the problem of balance is addressed by the striking committee, the committee is going to be having a credibility problem because it only represents Members from one region of the Northwest Territories basically, apart from the High Arctic. So Mr. Speaker, I would respectfully recommend to the mover of the motion that something went wrong with the process of soliciting nominations. Perhaps the Members who filled out that questionnaire assumed that there would be other Members from Nunavut participating on this committee, but when we see the result, it is obviously skewed, and so I would suggest, Mr. Speaker, with the greatest respect, that if it is skewed to the West it should be called the western special committee on social...

Shame, shame!

Well, it is imbalanced. Mr. Speaker, I would suggest, with the greatest of respect to the Members of the striking committee, that they should have realized that the committee is not balanced, and they should go back to the drawing board and go back to caucus. It is obvious that there are a number of Members interested in serving on this committee from the Nunavut area of the Northwest Territories, and I would respectfully suggest to the mover of the motion that it would be wise to withdraw the motion, take a little more time and get a more balanced committee so this committee starts off on a good footing and with credibility with all Members of this House. Thank you.

To the motion. Ms. Mike.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I will not support this motion, not because there is imbalance but, as the honourable Minister for the Justice Department just said, he does not want this committee to start off on the wrong foot, but it looks like he is making very sure that we do. I think the Nunavut caucus should be meeting on this and decide among themselves who they would like to see.

Agreed.

To the motion. To the motion. Mr. Lewis. Mr. Zoe. You will be able to speak, Mr. Lewis. Mr. Gargan.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I have some difficulty in supporting the motion, too. Mr. Speaker, with regard to the responsibilities of Members, I would like to express to Members that the whole purpose of the striking committee is to ensure that all the ordinary Members are given equal opportunity to serve on certain boards and commissions. If I look at the list of people that have been selected to it, again there is only Mr. Pudluk from the High Arctic on it, and not anybody from the Eastern Arctic. But the other thing is that all the other Members are serving on a very important committee, and that is the standing committee on finance, and there are four Members of the committee that serve on the finance committee. As you know, Mr. Speaker, the finance committee does have a large workload with regard to the reviews of the capital estimates and the main estimates, and that itself would consume about six weeks of the finance committee's workload. They are the only ones that are selected to it, and so it would perhaps make more of a workload for them. I feel that I cannot support the motion because of the demands that are put on only a small number of Members.

To the motion. Mr. Zoe.

Tell the truth; it is because you were not picked.

Could I have a copy of your motion please, Mr. Zoe? In fairness to all Members we will take a short break and have this motion translated.

---SHORT RECESS

I will call the Assembly back to order. Everybody has a copy of the motion. The motion is in order. To the motion.

Question.

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

---Carried

Motion 4-12(2) has been referred back to the striking committee.

Item 16, first reading of bills. Mr. Pollard.

The motion is in order. All those in favour? Opposed, if any? The motion is carried.

---Carried

Bill 14 has had first reading. First reading of bills. Item 17, second reading of bills. Mr. Pollard.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Nunakput, that Bill 14, Appropriation Act, No. 1, 1992-93, be read for the second time. Mr. Speaker, this bill would authorize the Government of the NWT to make capital expenditures for the fiscal year ending March 31, 1993. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Question.

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

---Carried

Bill 14 has had second reading, and accordingly the bill stands referred to committee of the whole. Second reading of bills. Mr. Patterson.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Yellowknife South, that Bill 15, An Act to Amend the Official Languages Act, be read for the second time. Mr. Speaker, this bill would amend the Official Languages Act to delay the requirement that rules, orders, regulations, by-laws and proclamations made before December 31, 1989, be in English and French by April 1, 1992 to retain their validity.