This is page numbers 909 - 930 of the Hansard for the 12th Assembly, 5th Session. The original version can be accessed on the Legislative Assembly's website or by contacting the Legislative Assembly Library. The word of the day was chairman.

Topics

Bill 10: An Act To Repeal The Metric Conversion Act
Item 18: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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Stephen Kakfwi

Stephen Kakfwi Sahtu

Thank you. Mr. Chairman, the proposed bill is to repeal the Metric Conversion Act so that we can remove from the statute books an act that no longer has any legal effect.

The Metric Conversion Act was enacted in 1977 to facilitate the conversion from the Canadian system of units, known as the imperial system, to the international system of units, known as the metric system. The act provided that the Commissioner could enter into agreements with the Government of Canada for the establishment of a metric information centre and for the establishment of programs for the distribution of information about the metric system.

The act also provided that the Commissioner could, by order, designate any act, regulation, order, municipal by-law or other instrument which uses the imperial system to be deemed to be using the metric equivalent. No orders have been issued. All territorial legislation now uses the metric system and the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs has encouraged municipal corporations to use metric units in their by-laws since 1977.

At one time, a metric information centre was operated under agreement with the Government of Canada. The centre distributed information about the metric system but it ceased operations many years ago.

Those are the extent of my comments. Thank you.

Bill 10: An Act To Repeal The Metric Conversion Act
Item 18: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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The Chair

The Chair Tony Whitford

Thank you, Minister Kakfwi. Would the chairman of the Standing Committee on Legislation be prepared to make any comments on the bill?

Standing Committee On Legislation Comments

Bill 10: An Act To Repeal The Metric Conversion Act
Item 18: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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Samuel Gargan Deh Cho

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The standing committee has reviewed Bill 10, An Act to Repeal the Metric Conversion Act. The committee agrees with the bill and has no further comments.

Bill 10: An Act To Repeal The Metric Conversion Act
Item 18: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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The Chair

The Chair Tony Whitford

Thank you, Member from Deh Cho, Mr. Gargan. At this point in time, we normally ask the Minister if he would like to invite witnesses in but it appears that may not be necessary, however, I will leave that to your discretion, Mr. Minister. If you wish to deal with the matter from your seat, I think the committee will be in agreement.

Bill 10: An Act To Repeal The Metric Conversion Act
Item 18: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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Stephen Kakfwi

Stephen Kakfwi Sahtu

I will take my chances and try to answer any questions from the chair.

---Laughter

Bill 10: An Act To Repeal The Metric Conversion Act
Item 18: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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The Chair

The Chair Tony Whitford

The Minister says he is going to wing it from where he is.

Bill 10: An Act To Repeal The Metric Conversion Act
Item 18: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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An Hon. Member

(Microphone turned off)

Bill 10: An Act To Repeal The Metric Conversion Act
Item 18: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 925

The Chair

The Chair Tony Whitford

Order. Bill 10, An Act to Repeal the Metric Conversion Act. General comments. No general comments. Does the committee agree we go clause by clause.

Bill 10: An Act To Repeal The Metric Conversion Act
Item 18: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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Some Hon. Members

Agreed.

---Agreed

Bill 10: An Act To Repeal The Metric Conversion Act
Item 18: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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The Chair

The Chair Tony Whitford

Okay, clause by clause. Here it goes. I am sorry. Member from Nahendeh, Mr. Antoine.

General Comments

Bill 10: An Act To Repeal The Metric Conversion Act
Item 18: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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Jim Antoine Nahendeh

I would like to ask the Minister, what is this act going to do with the present system of metric? Is this thing going to change the whole thing over, back to inches and feet, or what?

Bill 10: An Act To Repeal The Metric Conversion Act
Item 18: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 925

The Chair

The Chair Tony Whitford

Thank you, Mr. Antoine. Minister Kakfwi.

Bill 10: An Act To Repeal The Metric Conversion Act
Item 18: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 925

Stephen Kakfwi

Stephen Kakfwi Sahtu

Mr. Chairman, the act was simply an act that was required to push and encourage people to use and move over to the metric system. It gave legislative backing to ensure that conversion happened. Now that it has, in a large part, happened, there is no longer any requirement for the bill. For instance, it suggests that if required, the Commissioner would have the power to force conversion, but, in fact, almost all of it has happened without any orders being issued by the Commissioner. So it was to try to get us off the old British system.

Bill 10: An Act To Repeal The Metric Conversion Act
Item 18: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 925

The Chair

The Chair Tony Whitford

Thank you, Minister Kakfwi. Mr. Antoine.

Bill 10: An Act To Repeal The Metric Conversion Act
Item 18: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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Jim Antoine Nahendeh

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I just wanted to say that when the whole system was turned over, whoever made the decision didn't take into consideration that, as Dene people, we have our own way of measuring, and when we said one foot, we said goke. One inch is golahchi?, one thumb; and one pound is aihndah. But when they changed the whole system to metric, there was nothing there to make that equivalent to our way. So I am going to have the department

responsible for languages, they are going to have to come up with something to compensate for the loss.

Bill 10: An Act To Repeal The Metric Conversion Act
Item 18: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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An Hon. Member

(Microphone turned off)

Bill 10: An Act To Repeal The Metric Conversion Act
Item 18: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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Jim Antoine Nahendeh

So I just wanted to make that point because -- and for one mile it was ??dechi, but we had our own way. Now, with metric, it is not the same, so it hasn't really adjusted. So we are going to have to figure out a new way of measuring distances in metric. I just wanted to make that comment.

Clause By Clause

Bill 10: An Act To Repeal The Metric Conversion Act
Item 18: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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The Chair

The Chair Tony Whitford

Thank you, Mr. Antoine. They are very interesting points raised. Any further comments? Clause by clause. Clause 1.

Bill 10: An Act To Repeal The Metric Conversion Act
Item 18: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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Some Hon. Members

Agreed.

---Agreed

Bill 10: An Act To Repeal The Metric Conversion Act
Item 18: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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The Chair

The Chair Tony Whitford

Bill as a whole.

Bill 10: An Act To Repeal The Metric Conversion Act
Item 18: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 926

Some Hon. Members

Agreed.

---Agreed

Bill 10: An Act To Repeal The Metric Conversion Act
Item 18: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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The Chair

The Chair Tony Whitford

Does the committee agree that Bill 10 is now ready for third reading?

Bill 10: An Act To Repeal The Metric Conversion Act
Item 18: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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Some Hon. Members

Agreed.

---Agreed

Bill 10: An Act To Repeal The Metric Conversion Act
Item 18: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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The Chair

The Chair Tony Whitford

Bill 10 is now ready for third reading. I would like to thank the Minister for his assistance in the matter.

I think we can now move to Bill 18, located under tab 18. Bill 18 is the Write-Off of Debts Act, 1993-94. Bill 18 located under tab 18 of the green book. Thank you. We ask the Minister responsible for the bill to introduce the bill to the committee. The chair recognizes Mr. Pollard.

Bill 18: Write-off Of Debts Act, 1993-94
Item 18: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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The Chair

The Chair Tony Whitford

Introductory Remarks