Question is being called. Mr. Antoine.

Mr. Chairman, I just received the motion and I hadn't really had a chance to look at it carefully as it was rammed down our throats.

Sorry about that, Mr. Antoine. To the motion. Mr. Antoine.

It's all right now. Thank you.

To the motion. Mr. Antoine.

I would like to ask the Minister why he is making these changes. Thank you.

Mr. Minister.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. To make the date and the requirements for the academic or the school year consistent right throughout the bill.

Thank you. To the motion.

Question.

Thank you. Question is being called. All those in favour of the motion? All those opposed? The motion is carried.

---Carried

Clause 27, as amended. Mr. Koe.

Just a question on using the word "16 year." Is that consistent with other clauses?

Thank you. Mr. Minister.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Yes.

Clause 27, as amended.

Agreed.

---Agreed

We shall move on to clause 28 of Bill 25. Mr. Koe.

Thank you. This is a penalty clause, and it says that every person who fails to comply with section 27.(2) is guilty of an offence. Section 27.(2) refers to a parent of a student, so I assume that the parent can be fined. Is that the only person who can be fined under this particular clause?

Thank you. Mr. Minister.

Thank you. Yes.

Thank you. Mr. Koe.

So the parent can be fined if a student is late, is not punctual, or does not attend regularly or punctually. How many times does a student have to be late before a charge is laid? I'm just curious. You get into that whole issue of process, and who sets the process for conviction.

Thank you. On the area of regulation, Mr. Minister.

Thanks. Part of it is set out in the regulations, as well. You have to read it, Mr. Chairman, I don't want the public to be confused. The charges are laid against the parents. There is no definition right now, without us having to work those issues out with the district education authorities and the divisions.

The other thing is that the prosecution for an offence referred to in subsection (1), no prosecution shall be commenced without the consent in writing of the district education authority. There are limitations to whether we even proceed if the community says no, that's not the way we do this, there's a better approach to take. So the community can make those decisions and they will set the rules by which we enforce this particular section because, in some cases they may be different, in others, there may be a consistent process right across the Northwest Territories. But we will share that information as we develop the regulations with each other.