Thank you. I wonder if the Standing Committee on Legislation would like to make opening remarks? Mr. Koe.

Comments By Standing Committee On Legislation

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.

Thank you. Before I call general comments, Mr. Minister, do you want to invite in your officials? General comments. Does the committee agree to go clause by clause?

Agreed.

---Agreed

Clause By Clause

Clause 1.

Agreed.

---Agreed

Thank you. Clause 2.

Agreed.

---Agreed

Clause 3.

Agreed.

---Agreed

Thank you. Bill as a whole?

Agreed.

---Agreed

Does the committee agree that Bill 18 is ready for third reading?

Agreed.

---Agreed

Thank you. I would like to thank the Minister. We will go on to Bill 19. Bill 19 is an Act to Amend the Student Financial Assistance Act. Mr. Nerysoo.

Introductory Remarks

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The purpose of this amendment is to eliminate the student financial assistance board, in response to Motion 84-4 of the Standing Committee on Agencies, Boards and Commissions. During the last session of the Legislative Assembly, the committee reviewed the purpose, operation and costs of the board and recommended that it be discontinued.

The board was first established in 1982, and restructured in 1990 to provide broad advice to the Minister on student financial assistance. The board directed the development of a policy and administration manual, which was completed, and continues to guide the procedures for the administration of the program. The board has not met for approximately two years, largely because guidelines for administration are now in place and broad advice on program and procedures is now being provided directly through the Minister and the Assembly.

Students individually and through student associations had the opportunity to provide advice and make recommendations. At this time, I would like to express my appreciation for the work done by the student financial assistance board in the past and assure the Assembly that there will continue to be an opportunity for the Assembly and the public to advise me on this program.

Thank you. Standing Committee on Legislation, Mr. Koe.

Comments By Standing Committee On Legislation

I am the committee by default. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The Standing Committee on Legislation reviewed Bill 19, An Act to Amend the Student Financial Assistance Act, at its public meeting in Yellowknife on March 18, 1993. The committee would like to thank the Minister of Education, the Honourable Richard Nerysoo, for presenting this bill and responding to committee Members' questions.

Bill 19 would amend the Student Financial Assistance Act to dissolve the student financial assistance board and to delete all references to the board within the act. Currently, the student financial assistance board is appointed by the Minister to make recommendations to the Minister on matters relating to student financial assistance that are referred to the board by the Minister, and on any other matters related to student financial assistance that the board considers appropriate.

Members of the Standing Committee on Legislation had the benefit of a thorough review of another standing committee on the removal of the board. The Department of Education requested in January, 1992, that the Standing Committee on Agencies, Boards and Commissions review the proposal to eliminate this board. The standing committee reported to the House on its review in Committee Report 7-12(3), presented to the House on December 8, 1992.

The Standing Committee on Agencies, Boards and Commissions noted that the student financial assistance board had provided very limited advice to the Minister since the current board was established in 1989. No specific recommendations had been forwarded to the Minister and the Minister made no formal request for board comments. As well, other channels of communication existed to offer more effective input on student needs or policy deficiencies. In its report, the standing committee recommended that the Minister proceed with the elimination of the student financial assistance board.

Members of the Standing Committee on Legislation questioned the Minister on the effectiveness of the other channels with respect to input on policy or student concerns. In general, Members were supportive of this bill and on March 18, 1993, carried a motion to report Bill 19 to the Assembly as ready for committee of the whole. This concludes my remarks on Bill 19, Mr. Chairman. I invite other committee Members to make additional comments on this bill. Qujannamiik.

Thank you. Before I call general comments, I wonder if the Minister would like to invite his officials?

Clause by clause.

Clause By Clause

Clause by clause. Thank you. Clause 1.

Agreed.

---Agreed