Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I move, seconded by my honourable Member for Baffin South that Bill 17, Division Measures Act be read for the second time. Mr. Speaker, this bill is organized into two parts. Part one amends various statutes to implement plans and agreements relating to the establishment of Nunavut. The amendments are placed in separate schedules organized by subject matter. Part two contains lists of regulations of the Northwest Territories that either apply only in the Nunavut portion of the Northwest Territories or that do not apply at all in the Nunavut portion of the Northwest Territories.
The Legislative Assembly Retiring Allowances Act and the Supplementary Retiring Allowances Act are amended to:
- provide for the establishment, by the Northwest Territories and Nunavut, of an advisory body to make recommendations to the two territories' Management and Services Boards respecting the administration of their respective Legislative Assembly Retiring Allowances Funds;
- clarify, in both acts, that a Member of the 13th Legislative Assembly who ceases to be a Member on dissolution of the Assembly or on April 1, 1999, will receive a pension if they are otherwise qualified;
- require a Member to have served for at least two years before the 13th Legislative Assembly to qualify for an allowance under the Supplementary Retiring Allowances Act;
- allow the Management and Services Board, under both acts, to set the interest rate payable on the refund of contributions; and, - allow the Speaker, in both acts, to make regulations on the recommendation of the Management and Services Board.
The Certified General Accountants' Association Act is amended to:
- permit the association to exercise such powers and functions for the regulation of accountancy in Nunavut as may be provided under the Certified General Accountants Act (Nunavut);
- establish the Northwest Territories chapter and the Nunavut chapter of the Association, and provide that each chapter may make by-laws for its governance;
- provide the circumstances under which either chapter may determine that the association will no longer perform regulatory functions in Nunavut; and,
- provide for the division of the assets and liabilities of the association where such a determination is made.
The Institute of Charter Accountants Act is amended to:
- permit the institute to exercise such powers and functions for the regulation of accountancy in Nunavut as may be provided under the Chartered Accountants Act (Nunavut);
- establish the Northwest Territories branch and the Nunavut branch of the institute, and provide that each branch may make by-laws for its governance;
- provide the circumstances under which either branch may determine that the institute will no longer perform regulatory functions in Nunavut; and,
- provide for the division of the assets and liabilities of the institute where such a determination is made.
The Payroll Tax Act, 1993, is amended to ensure that employees do not have to pay tax on the same income to both the Northwest Territories and Nunavut.
The Society of Management Accountants Act is amended to:
- permit the society to exercise such powers and functions for the regulation of accountancy in Nunavut as may be provided under the Management Accountants Act (Nunavut);
- establish the Northwest Territories chapter and the Nunavut chapter of the society, and provide that each chapter may make by-laws for its governance;
- provide the circumstances under which either chapter may determine that the society will no longer perform regulatory functions in Nunavut; and,
- provide for the division of the assets and liabilities of the society where such a determination is made.
The Charter Communities Act is amended to provide that the act does not apply to the part of the Northwest Territories that will become Nunavut. This prevents the duplication of the Charter Communities Act for Nunavut.
The Nursing Profession Act is amended to:
- permit the association to exercise such powers and functions for the regulation of nursing in Nunavut as may be provided under the Nursing Act (Nunavut);
- establish the Northwest Territories branch and the Nunavut branch of the association, and provide that each branch may make by-laws for its governance;
- provide the circumstances under which either branch may determine that the association will no longer perform regulatory functions in Nunavut; and,
- provide for the division of the assets and liabilities of the association where such a determination is made; and,
- make minor adjustments to provisions dealing with the registration of nurses.
The Engineering, Geological and Geophysical Professions Act is amended to:
- permit the association to exercise such powers and functions for the regulation of professional engineering, professional geology and professional geophysics in Nunavut as may be provided under the Engineers, Geologists and Geophysicists Act (Nunavut);
- establish the Northwest Territories branch and the Nunavut branch of the association, and provide that each branch may make by-laws for its governance;
- provide the circumstances under which either branch may determine that the association will no longer perform regulatory functions in Nunavut; and,
- provide for the division of the assets and liabilities of the association where such a determination is made; and,
- make minor adjustments to provisions dealing with the registration of members of the association and the permitting of firms of professional engineers, professional geologists and professional geophysicists.
The Interpretation Act amended to add definitions of "province" and "territory".
The Statute Revision Act is amended to:
- provide that the statute revision prepared for the Northwest Territories will include statutory material enacted on or before March 31, 1999;
- provide that the Statute Revision Commissioner may adjust a statute in the statute revision prepared for Nunavut to substitute an appropriate reference where the existing Northwest Territories statute refers to a department, office, body, place, concept or thing that does not have a direct equivalent in Nunavut; and,
- make a number of minor adjustments to the act.
The Education Act is amended to enable one conseil scolaire francophone to request the Minister to establish a commission scolaire francophone de division.
Schedule L contains two lists; the first lists regulations that do not apply in the Nunavut portion of the Northwest Territories, and the second lists regulations that apply only in the Nunavut portion of the Northwest Territories. These lists will clarify that status of regulations after division. Those regulations that are declared to not apply to the Nunavut portion of the Northwest Territories will not be duplicated for Nunavut. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.