Bill 16: An Act To Amend the NWT Housing Corporation Act

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I give notice that on Thursday, May 29, 1997, I will move that Bill 16, An Act To Amend the NWT Housing Corporation Act, be read for the first time. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Arlooktoo. Notices of motion for first reading of bills. Mr. Todd.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have three notices of motion.

Bill 14, Supplementary Appropriation Act, No. 1, 1997/98

I give notice that on Thursday, May 29, 1997, I will move that Bill 14, Supplementary Appropriation Act, No. 1, 1997/98, be read for the first time.

Bill 15, An Act to Amend the Workers' Compensation Act

I give notice that on Thursday, May 29, 1997, I will move that Bill 15, An Act to Amend the Workers' Compensation Act, be read for the first time.

Bill 17, An Act to Amend the Territorial Hospital Insurance Services Act

Mr. Speaker, I give notice that on May 29, 1997, I will move that Bill 17, An Act to Amend the Territorial Hospital Insurance Services Act, be read for the first time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Todd. Notices of motion for the first reading of bills. Item 16, motions. The motion 14-13(4), Policy on Non-competitive Contracts will stay on the order paper.

Item 17, first reading of bills. Item 18, second reading of bills. Item 19, consideration in committee of the whole on bills and other matters with Mr. Steen in the chair. Bill 13 is in the consideration of the Committee of the Whole. Thank you.

Agreed.

-- Break

Yes thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, I do have a few brief opening remarks, if I may. Mr. Chairman, the purpose of Bill 13, The Miscellaneous Statutes Amendment Act, 1997 is to amend various statutes of the Northwest Territories in which errors, inconsistencies or anomalies have been identified and brought to the attention of the Department of Justice by members of the judiciary, by other departments and by Department of Justice staff. Departments responsible for the administration of the various statutes being amended by the Miscellaneous Statutes Amendment Act, 1997 have each reviewed and approved the changes to the statutes under their authority. Most changes proposed in Bill 13 are minor in nature and many consist of grammatical or spelling corrections to either the English or French version of a statute. Other changes have the effect of repealing certain provisions of the statutes that have expired, lapsed or otherwise cease to exist. There are substantive changes, such as amendments to the Education Act, but these are considered to be non-controversial in nature.

Amendments are of such a nature that the preparation and legislative consideration of individual bills to correct each statute would be time-consuming for the government and the Legislative Assembly. In order for an amendment to be included in this Bill, it had to meet the following criteria:

a. It must not be controversial

b. It must not involve the spending of public funds

c. It must not prejudicially affect the rights of persons and it must not create a new offence or subject a new class of persons to an existing offence

In our view, the amendments proposed in Bill 13 meet those criteria and I am the official who will be pleased to answer any questions, Mr. Chairman, the committee may have. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. On behalf of the Standing Committee on Government Operations, I am pleased to provide our report on Bill 13, the Miscellaneous Statutes Amendment Act. This Bill makes a number of changes to correct errors in existing legislation. The changes are things like errors in French translation and references to incorrect sections. None of the amendments are supposed to substantially alter legislation. On May 21st, we met with the Minister, the honourable Kelvin Ng, and his officials to review the Bill. The Minister was able to provide explanations for most areas of concern to the committee. There was only one outstanding concern. One of the changes will remove the rights of Members of the Assembly to receive a copy of the Northwest Territories Gazette. The Gazette provides updated information on statutory appointments and statutory instruments, information which some Members find very useful in carrying out their responsibilities. During discussion of the Bill in Committee of the Whole, Members may seek reassurance from the Minister that their concern about access to the Gazette will be addressed. Without this assurance, Members may be introducing a motion to amend that section of the Bill. Mr. Chairman, that concludes our report on Bill 13. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman, I would. Thank you.

Agreed.

Sorry, Mr. Chairman, I am just getting geared up. Mr. Chairman, on my immediate left is Wendy Hutchinson, who is a senior policy advisor to ECE and on my right is Mark Aitken who is, of course, a legal legislative counsel from the Department of Justice, who will answer any difficult questions that I cannot answer today. Thank you.

Agreed.

Agreed.