This is page numbers 1345 - 1368 of the Hansard for the 13th Assembly, 4th 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 north.

Topics

Return To Written Question 33-13(4): Availability Of Legal Aid For Family Law Issues
Item 8: Returns To Written Questions

Page 1365

Clerk Of The House Mr. David Hamilton

Return to Written Question 33-13(4) asked by Mr. Krutko to the Minister of Justice on the availability of legal aid for family law issues.

Availability of Legal Aid for Family Law Issues

The Legal Services Board does not normally provide a lawyer for maintenance enforcement proceedings. In these proceedings the Court is enquiring into the availability of the individual to make payments which have been previously ordered by a court. Usually there are no legal issues in these proceedings.

However, the board may choose to authorize a lawyer representing a legal aid recipient to deal with child support and maintenance issues in court. When the circumstances do not necessitate an immediate authorization, the board may decline to make such an authorization unless a lawyer supplies a written opinion stating that it is reasonable under the circumstances to proceed. The Executive Director of the Legal Services Board must determine the reasonableness of any matter, taking into account the possibility of success, the cost of the legal services and the results which might be obtained.

Persons seeking child support and maintenance and those responding to applications for child support and maintenance have the same access to legal aid.

The following figures include all approved legal aid cases that have a child support process entered for the corresponding fiscal year. This information is available only from April 1, 1994, when use of the Legal Aid Information system was begun.

122 men and 467 women for 1994/95, 95 men and 345 women for 1995/96, 83 men and 296 women for 1996/97, and for the current fiscal year there have been 20 men and 82 women who have been approved for legal aid in the area of maintenance, as of June.

A person who is financially ineligible for legal aid may of course hire a lawyer to assist them. Other actions in regards to legal counselling for those who are ineligible for legal aid are as follows:

A person who does not have a lawyer has the right to appear in court and speak for themselves. They should always do this rather than miss court.

Some legal assistance may be obtained from the LawLine operated by volunteer lawyers and the Legal Services Board.

Many lawyers in private practice in the family law area are willing to give a person an initial interview without charge.

In Territorial Court, it may be possible to obtain limited assistance from a court worker employed by one of the legal services centres.

The lawyers employed in the five regional legal services centres may be able to provide summary legal advise depending on their time commitments.

And finally, a person facing maintenance enforcement proceedings can seek on their own to have enforcement suspended, first through negotiation with the Maintenance Enforcement Office, and secondly by speaking for themselves in court.

Return To Written Question 33-13(4): Availability Of Legal Aid For Family Law Issues
Item 8: Returns To Written Questions

Page 1365

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Thank you. Return to written questions. Item 9, replies to opening address. Item 10, petitions. Item 11, reports of standing and special committees. Item 12, reports of committees on the review of bills. Mr. Enuaraq.

Item 12: Reports Of Committees On The Review Of Bills
Item 12: Reports Of Committees On The Review Of Bills

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Tommy Enuaraq Baffin Central

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Standing Committee on Social Programs has considered Bills 3, 4, 5, and 6 and wish to report that Bill 5 is ready for committee of the whole and that Bills 3, 4 and 6 are ready for committee of the whole as amended and reprinted. Thank you.

Item 12: Reports Of Committees On The Review Of Bills
Item 12: Reports Of Committees On The Review Of Bills

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The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Thank you. Reports of committees on the review of bills. Mr. Picco.

Item 12: Reports Of Committees On The Review Of Bills
Item 12: Reports Of Committees On The Review Of Bills

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Edward Picco Iqaluit

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the Standing Committee on Infrastructure has considered Bill 19 and wishes to report that Bill 19 is ready for committee of the whole.

Item 12: Reports Of Committees On The Review Of Bills
Item 12: Reports Of Committees On The Review Of Bills

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The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Thank you. Reports of committees on the review of bills. Item 13, tabling of documents.

Tabled Document 93-13(4): Report Of The Nunavut Electoral Boundaries Commission, 1997
Item 13: Tabling Of Documents

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The Speaker Samuel Gargan

In accordance with the provision of section 24(5) of part 2 of the Electoral Boundaries Commission Act, I wish to table the Report of the Nunavut Electoral Boundaries Commission dated June 30, 1997. Tabling of documents. Mr. Dent.

Tabled Document 94-13(4) School Projects Enhanced Beyond Capital Standards And Criteria
Item 13: Tabling Of Documents

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Charles Dent

Charles Dent Yellowknife Frame Lake

Mr. Speaker, I wish to table the following document entitled School Projects Enhanced Beyond Capital Standards in Criteria. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Tabled Document 94-13(4) School Projects Enhanced Beyond Capital Standards And Criteria
Item 13: Tabling Of Documents

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The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Thank you. Tabling of documents. Mr. Picco.

Tabled Document 95-13(4): Human Resource Manual Excerpt Regarding Conflict Of Interest - Outside Employment
Item 13: Tabling Of Documents

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Edward Picco Iqaluit

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to table the Ethics Conflict of Interest Outside Employment of this Government, Human Resource Manual, section 003.

Tabled Document 96-13(4): Manager's Handbook Excerpt Regarding Personal Gain And The Use Of Information, Facilities Or Property
Item 13: Tabling Of Documents

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Edward Picco Iqaluit

I would also like to table the Managers' Handbook on Personal Gain and the Use of Information, Facilities or Property of this government.

Tabled Document 97-13(4): NWT Medical Association Response To The Med-emerg Report On NWT Health And Social Services Draft Strategic Report
Item 13: Tabling Of Documents

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Edward Picco Iqaluit

I would also like to table the Northwest Territories Medical Association response to the Med-Emerg report. Mr. Speaker.

Tabled Document 97-13(4): NWT Medical Association Response To The Med-emerg Report On NWT Health And Social Services Draft Strategic Report
Item 13: Tabling Of Documents

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The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Thank you, Mr. Picco. Tabling of documents, Mr. Ootes.

Tabled Document 98-13(4): Correspondence Regarding The Transfer Of Federal Employees To The North
Item 13: Tabling Of Documents

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Jake Ootes

Jake Ootes Yellowknife Centre

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to table three letters in support of the motion to transfer a federal employee, a motion that was made last spring. They are from George Roach of Inuvik, Mayor Jack Rowe of Hay River and Mayor Dennis Bevington of the town of Fort Smith who says, "Ideas such as this by Mr. Ootes in the committee are outstanding and can be ..."

Tabled Document 98-13(4): Correspondence Regarding The Transfer Of Federal Employees To The North
Item 13: Tabling Of Documents

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Some Hon. Members

Shameless, shameless, shameless.

--Laughter

Tabled Document 98-13(4): Correspondence Regarding The Transfer Of Federal Employees To The North
Item 13: Tabling Of Documents

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The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Tabling of documents. Mr. O'Brien.

Tabled Document 99-13(4): Letter From Commissioner Maksagak - Call For Public Inquiry On The Keewatin Regional Health Board
Item 13: Tabling Of Documents

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Kevin O'Brien Kivallivik

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to table a letter response from the Commissioner regarding the request for a public inquiry.

Tabled Document 99-13(4): Letter From Commissioner Maksagak - Call For Public Inquiry On The Keewatin Regional Health Board
Item 13: Tabling Of Documents

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The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Thank you. Tabling of documents.

Tabled Document 100-13(4): Annual Report Of The Languages Commissioner, 1995-96
Item 13: Tabling Of Documents

September 30th, 1997

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The Speaker Samuel Gargan

In accordance with the provision of section 23 of the Official Languages Act, I wish to table the Annual Report of the Language Commissioner of the Northwest Territories covering the fiscal year 1995, 1996.

Tabled Document 101-13(4): Auditor's Report - Legislative Assembly Retiring Allowances Fund (march 31, 1997)
Item 13: Tabling Of Documents

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The Speaker Samuel Gargan

In accordance with the provision of section 21(1) of the Legislative Assembly Retiring Allowance Act, I wish to table the Auditor's Report of the Financial Statement as of March 31, 1997. Tabling of documents, Mr. Clerk.

Tabled Document 102-13(4): Responses To Petitions 22, 23, 23 And 25
Item 13: Tabling Of Documents

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Clerk Of The House Mr. David Hamilton

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Pursuant to or according to section (10), I wish to table the following responses to Petition 22-13(4) presented by Mr. Miltenberger and responded to by the Chairman of the Financial Management Board.

Response to Petition 23-13(4) presented by Mr. Krutko and responded to by the Minister of Health and Social Services.

Response to Petition 24-13(4) presented by Mr. Steen and responded to by the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment.

Response to Petition 25-13(4) presented by Mr. Ng and responded to by the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment.

Tabled Document 102-13(4): Responses To Petitions 22, 23, 23 And 25
Item 13: Tabling Of Documents

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The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Thank you, Mr. Clerk. Tabling of documents. Item 14, notices of motion. Mr. Barnabas.

Motion 20-13(4): Nunavut Electoral Boundaries Commission Report To Committee Of The Whole
Item 14: Notices Of Motion

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Levi Barnabas High Arctic

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I give notice that on Friday, October 3, 1997, I move the following motion:

Therefore, I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Kivallivik, that Tabled Document 93-13(4) the Report of the Nunavut Boundaries Commission, to be moved into committee of the whole as the first item of business on Friday. Mr. Speaker, at the appropriate time I will be seeking unanimous consent to deal with this motion today. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Motion 20-13(4): Nunavut Electoral Boundaries Commission Report To Committee Of The Whole
Item 14: Notices Of Motion

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The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Thank you. Item 15, notices of motion for first reading of bills. Mr. Todd.

Bill 24: An Act To Amend The Financial Administration Act
Item 15: Notices Of Motions For First Reading Of Bills

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John Todd Keewatin Central

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I give notice that on Friday, October 3, 1997, I will move that Bill 24, An Act

to Amend the Financial Administration Act be read for the first time.