Notices of motion. Item 15, notices of motion for first reading of bills. Mr. Arlooktoo.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I give notice that on Thursday, November 12, 1998, I will move that Bill 18, Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Statutes Amendment Act, be read for the first time.

Thank you. Notices of motion for first reading of bills. Mr. Henry.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I give notice that on Thursday, November 12, 1998, I will move that Bill 19, An Act to Amend the Public Highways Act, and the Motor Vehicles Act, be read for the first time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you. Notices of motion for first reading of bills. Item 16, motions. Item 17, first reading of bills. Item 18, second reading of bills. Item 19, consideration in committee of the whole of bills and other matters Tabled Documents 26-13(6), Bill 10, An Act to Amend the Student Financial Assistance Act, and Bill 11, An Act to Amend the Workers' Compensation Act, No. 2, with Mr. Steen in the Chair.

Agreed.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, I am pleased to present Bill 11, An Act to Amend the Workers' Compensation Act, No. 2.

The bill proposes to increase the Year's Maximum Insurable Renumeration (known as YMIR) from $52,000 to $60,000, effective January 1, 1999. This amount would apply for both benefit and assessment purposes.

The Year's Maximum Insurable Renumeration is a fundamental element of worker's compensation. It is used to determine benefits payable to an injured worker, as well as the amount of payroll for which an employer will be assessed in the year. The YMIR is currently set at $52,000.

When a worker becomes entitled to worker's compensation in the NWT, he or she is paid 90 percent of those earnings for as long as the disability continues. If a worker's earnings exceed the YMIR, this calculation is based on $52,000. Employers, meanwhile, are assessed according to their payroll. When a worker receives a salary greater than YMIR, the employer is only assessed on payroll up to $52,000.

In closing , I ask this committee to support the YMIR increase and recommend to the Assembly that Bill 11 receive final reading in this sitting. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The Standing Committee on Government Operations reviewed Bill 11, An Act to Amend the Workers' Compensation Act, No. 2, at its meeting on November 9, 1998. The committee would like to thank the Minister responsible for the Workers' Compensation Board for presenting the bill and responding to the committee's questions. Bill 11 would amend the Workers' Compensation Act, to increase the amount of the Year's Maximum Insurable Renumeration from $52,000 to $60,000, effective January 1, 1999. The YMIR is a maximum renumeration used to determine the benefits payable to injured workers and to determine the amount of assessable payroll of an employer.

Increasing the YMIR will allow workers to receive higher benefits and would increase the amount paid into the system by employers, however, because a 35 percent average assessment rate reduction has been approved for 1999, employers will still pay less overall. The last time the YMIR was increased was January 1, 1998. The standing committee was advised that the YMIR of $60,000 would fully compensate approximately 85 percent of full time NWT workers and would be the highest YMIR in Canada.

Mr. Chairman, the standing committee supports this amendment. Committee Members may have questions or comments on the bill as we proceed. Mr. Chairman, this concludes the standing committee's comments on Bill 11, An Act to Amend the Workers' Compensation Act, No. 2. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Mr. Chairman, I do not think there is any requirement today for witnesses. The committee has agreed to support this bill. It has three sections and unless there are some general questions that want to be asked of me, I would suggest that we move to the detail and approve it, so we can move on. Thank you.

There is no requirement to. Thank you.

Agreed.

Agreed.