Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The standing committee on legislation completed its review of Bill 6, Purchasing Management Association Act, at a public meeting on Tuesday, May 26, 1992. The standing committee was grateful to the Minister of Government Services, the Hon. John Ningark, for presenting the bill at this meeting and for responding fully to the questions and comments raised by Members. Although no public witnesses appeared before the standing committee to comment on this bill, the Minister was accompanied by the past president of the NWT district of the Purchasing Management Association, who is active as well on the national executive. Also present was the procurement manager in the Department of Government Services, who has also been active in the association. These gentlemen were able to brief the standing committee on some of the more specific considerations related to the role of the Purchasing Management Association in the Northwest Territories and the purpose of the proposed legislation.
Bill 6 would create a new statute that would recognize the Purchasing Management Association of Canada and give that organization the authority to set requirements and grant the designation of certified professional purchaser. The idea behind establishing the CPP designation is that it will identify persons who have met national standards by completing the extensive training and certification process. It provides employers, most of whom probably will be government departments and agencies, with an assurance that procurement and purchasing professionals holding the designation have been schooled in the most effective and efficient procedures as well as ethical standards in their field. This bill would create an offence for persons who might attempt to use this designation without permission and would establish a fine of up to $1000 upon summary conviction.
The standing committee on legislation understands that this bill is strongly supported by the NWT district of the Purchasing Management Association of Canada. This professional organization presently has some 65 to 70 members. About 60 per cent of these people work for government. The organization has been quite active in the training and professional support of native workers wishing to enter the purchasing profession. The standing committee on legislation found that this bill was technically sound and recognized the advantages inherent in establishing an offence for the illegitimate use of the CPP designation.
At the same time, our public review of this bill led to some discussion on a number of larger issues which may also apply to similar legislation dealing with professional bodies. The standing committee noted, for instance, that this was a bill that would have a direct effect on a relatively small number of people. Members of the committee were generally supportive of the Purchasing Management Association's efforts to develop and foster a professional core and agreed with the concept that establishing the designation in law would convey the government's recognition of the CPP as a symbol of purchasing excellence.
At the same time, though, the standing committee was also cognizant of the fact that the number of territorial statutes has increased steadily to the point where there is a fairly massive body of law on the books. While this is not inherently bad, this government, over its term in office, should be mindful of the need to carefully consider whether each legislative initiative is of sufficient significance to the people of the NWT to justify the decision to enact the law. Clearly, it will be difficult for every public professional affiliation, no matter how hard-working they are, no matter how valuable their contribution has been to the Northwest Territories, to have their own establishment act.
The standing committee on legislation concluded that this consideration was not sufficiently significant to proceed with amendments or further delay the passage of Bill 6. However, if the intent of legislating in this area is to recognize the existence of a professional association which self-regulates and acts on behalf of purchasers, the Minister and the PMAC
may wish, in their own good judgment, to come back to this point at some time in the future and add some other words which recognize that in the Territories the NWT district organization acts on behalf of the Purchasing Management Association of Canada.
These comments are brought forward to the House, Mr. Chairman, not to oppose the proposed Purchasing Management Association Act but rather to provide some guidance that the government should take into account when proceeding to legislate the affairs of professional organizations in the Northwest Territories.
With those comments, Mr. Chairman, I wish to report that on May 26, 1992, the standing committee on legislation passed a motion to report Bill 6 to the Legislative Assembly as ready for consideration by the committee of the whole. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.