The chairman seems absent, Mr. Chairman. There are some notes. The Standing Committee on Legislation reviewed Bill 18, an Act to Amend the Public Printing Act, at its public meeting in Yellowknife on March 18, 1993. The committee would like to thank the Minister of Justice, the Honourable Stephen Kakfwi, and his officials from the Department of Justice for presenting this bill and responding to committee Members' questions and concerns.
The Public Printing Act establishes the Northwest Territories' Gazette, which publishes regulations, proclamations and any notices required to be published in the Gazette by law or by the Commissioner. The Public Printing Act also sets out the office and duties of the territorial printer. The territorial printer is a public servant appointed by the Commissioner to carry out printing and publishing functions for the Government of the Northwest Territories.
This bill would amend the Public Printing Act to clarify the regulation making powers under the act. Currently, the act provides that the Commissioner has the authority to make regulations governing the form of the Gazette. This bill would add specific powers for the Commissioner to make regulations on the recommendation of the Minister of Justice prescribing the content and frequency of publication of the Gazette and prescribing any matter that may be prescribed under the act.
This bill would also specify that the Minister of Justice may appoint an editor and deputy editor of the Gazette and would authorize regulations to be made setting out the powers and duties of these officers.
This bill would also allow the Commissioner to set regulations on the recommendation of the Minister of Government Services and Public Works prescribing a tariff of fees to be charged by the territorial printer for its publications. Currently, fees are charged by the territorial printer for all publications. Specific authority for the charging of fees for the Gazette, acts and regulations are provided in another statute, the Statutory Instruments Act.
The committee questioned the Minister as to the authority under which the territorial printer currently charges fees for publications other than the Gazette, acts and regulations. Committee Members were advised that these fees are presently charged without express regulatory authority. However, Members were assured that the ability of the territorial printer to charge fees for these publications would not be compromised should this bill be passed before new regulations for fees for these publications are prepared.
On March 18, 1993, a motion was carried by the Standing Committee on Legislation to report Bill 18 to the Assembly as ready for committee of the whole. This concludes my remarks on Bill 18, Mr. Chairman, and I invite other committee Members to make additional comments on this bill. Qujannamiik.