Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The standing committee has had the opportunity to review Bill 7, An Act to Amend the Arctic College Act, and has presented its report in the House for consideration. As is stated in our report on the review of Bill 7, the standing committee has two concerns:

1. that this bill places the authority to establish and name colleges in regulation. The committee is not convinced that the establishment and naming of colleges should be decided behind closed doors;

2. that this bill repeals the Science Institute Act and the potential loss of Science Institutes into peripheral abilities may have serious implications on science research and activities in the north and that the colleges' priorities of training and education would overshadow the Science Institute.

Mr. Chairman, I would like to indicate that although the committee passed a motion to refer this bill to the committee of the whole it could be debated clause by clause, that the committee also pass a motion not to support Bill 7 in its present form. The motion for non-support received unanimous consent by Members in attendance. The standing committee fully supports the creation of two colleges in the Northwest Territories to prepare for Nunavut.

The committee also was concerned, however, that this bill places the authority to establish and name colleges in regulation. The decision to create or dissolve colleges is important to the public, as well as Members of this House. The committee is not convinced that the establishment and naming of colleges should be decided by Cabinet.

The committee believes that these decisions should have a level of accountability to the Members of the Assembly attached to them. Therefore, I have a motion, Mr. Chairman.