Question.

Question has been called. All those in favour? All those opposed? Motion is carried.

---Carried

Bill 10 has had second reading. Accordingly, Bill 10 will stand referred to a committee. Item 17, second reading of bills. The honourable Member for Kivallivik, Mr. Arngna'naaq.

Madam Speaker, I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Baffin Central, that Bill 11, An Act To Amend The Hamlets Act, be read for the second time.

Madam Speaker, this bill clarifies the authority of a municipal corporation to establish, operate and restore a public quarry. The bill also clarifies the authority of a municipal corporation to enter into and implement an agreement that delegates responsibility to the municipal corporation for the administration of Commissioner's land. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Thank you. The motion is in order. To the principle of the bill.

Question.

Question has been called. All those in favour? All those opposed? Motion is carried.

---Carried Bill 11 has had second reading. Accordingly, the bill stands referred to a committee. Item 17, second reading of bills. The honourable Member for Kivallivik, Mr. Arngna'naaq.

Thank you. The motion is in order. To the principle of the bill. The honourable Member for Inuvik, Mr. Koe.

Mahsi, Madam Speaker. I have some concerns with this particular bill. It relates to the use and administration of Commissioner's land. On April 22, 1994, the Gwich'in signed a comprehensive land claim agreement and so have the Inuvialuit and Sahtu. I am not sure of their particular dates. One of the objectives in these claims is to provide for the Gwich'in, specifically to provide for certainty and clarity of rights to ownership and use of land resources. In this bill, one of the powers is to authorize the making of an administration agreement respecting Commissioner's land. To me, that's the use of certain land resources. Under another section, section three, under the Gwich'in claim, that any government, when making changes to any programs or responsibilities of government, needs consent of the Gwich'in for use of lands within the Gwich'in settlement area. I'm just very curious and I know we can't ask questions in this forum, but whether or not consent was given by the Gwich'in for this particular act? The government needs to consult with the claimant groups and I'm just very curious as to whether or not proper consultation was done, not before the introduction of this bill in this House like yesterday, but much before that? We shouldn't be seeking consent after the fact, after the bill's introduced, but much before the bill was introduced.

Madam Speaker, times have changed. The responsibilities and authorities of land use are changing. There are land claims in place, there are regional governments in place that want to monitor and administer particular lands or have some say on the use of those lands within particular settlement areas or particular regions. I hope that the government abides... the government needs to abide by the spirit and the intent of land claims and should not be introducing bills like this before they get consent of particular regional groups or regional land claims. Mahsi.

Thank you. To the principle of the bill. The honourable Member for Deh Cho, Mr. Gargan.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. It will just be the principle of the bill itself, Madam Speaker. The bill would have come into force on June 29, 1969 and it would have come into force on the first reading. I don't know why we have a committee that would be travelling to the communities to discuss this when in fact it's already come into force on the first reading. That's the way I interpret it so I can not support this bill.

To the principle of the bill. Question is being called. All those in favour? All those opposed? Bill 12 has had second reading and accordingly will stand referred to a committee. Item 17, second reading of bills. Bills 2, 3, 9, 10, 11 and 12 have all had second reading and will be referred to committee.

Item 18, consideration in committee of the whole of bills and other matters: Tabled Document 2-12(6), New Social Housing Rent Scale; Minister's Statement 6-12(6), Terms of Reference -Hay River Group Home Contract; Tabled Document 14-12(6), Open for Business: Privatization of the NWT Power Corporation; and, Tabled Document 7-1296), Terms of Reference: Independent Review of Contract Termination - Hay River Group Home, in committee of the whole with Mr. Ningark in the chair. Members, you will stay in committee of the whole until the House is ready to report progress. Thank you.

Thank you. The committee will now come to order. What is the wish if the committee? Mr. Koe.

Mr. Chairman, I recommend that we deal with Minister's Statement 6-12(6) and Tabled Document 7-12(6), together.

Thank you, Mr. Koe. Mr. Koe is recommending that we deal with Minister's Statement 6-12(6) and Tabled Document 7-12(6). Do we have concurrence of the committee? Agreed?

Agreed.

---Agreed

Thank you. Mr. Koe.

Since we're dealing with the Department of Social Services, it would be nice if the Minister was present.

Why don't we take about a 15 minute break to get the Minister ready to deal with the matter. Thank you.

---SHORT RECESS

I will call the committee to order. There are no opening general remarks, therefore I open the floor to general comments. We are dealing with Minister's Statement 6-12(6) and Tabled Document 7-12(6). General comments. Mr. Zoe.

General Comments

Thank you. Minister of Social Services.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. To respond to Mr. Zoe's question, I'll be candid with this. When I talked to my deputy minister and gave him the commitment I made in the House the day the Member for Deh Cho asked the question whether an independent committee could do the investigation on this contract, my deputy and I had trouble interpreting committee, whether it was a committee of this Legislature, or what. We didn't know. I told him that there was urgency to get this going.

Between me and my deputy Minister, we decided that it would take a lot longer to try to get a number of people to investigate this. I instructed him to find out if we could get a person to investigate not just the contract, but how the events took place that led to the termination of the contract. I told my deputy minister that I felt the legalities of the contract could be handled by a private firm or private lawyer, and not a government lawyer. There were serious allegations made on the department and we both felt it would be fair that the whole thing be looked over.

General comments. Mr. Zoe.