Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Natilikmiot, that Bill 15, Nunavut Statutes Amendment Act, be read for the second time. Mr. Speaker, this bill adjusts the laws of Nunavut by amending eight statutes that will be duplicated for Nunavut by the Nunavut Act. All amendments come into force on April 1, 1999.
The Nunavut Legislative Assembly and Executive Council Act is amended to:
- make adjustments so that the act conforms with requirements of the Nunavut Act and orders made under that act with respect to the maximum duration of a Legislative Assembly and the place of the seat of government of Nunavut;
- substitute appropriate references for terms that relate to the Northwest Territories rather than Nunavut;
- update references to the amounts of the indemnities, allowances, expenses and deductions that pertain to Members of the Legislative Assembly of Nunavut;
- replace the descriptions of electoral district boundaries to substitute those boundaries that will be applicable to the first Legislative Assembly of Nunavut; and,
- make minor adjustments to several provisions of the act.
The Nunavut Liquor Act is amended to eliminate the requirement that the executive secretary to the Liquor Licensing Board be a member of the public service.
The Nunavut Petroleum Products Tax Act is amended to provide that the periodic sampling used to determine a median price of gasoline for the purposes of setting the taxable price per litre of gasoline will be done in a prescribed place rather than in Yellowknife.
The Nunavut Tobacco Tax Act is amended to provide that the periodic sampling used to determine a median price of a cigarette or a gram of tobacco for the purposes of setting the taxable price will be done in a prescribed place rather than in Yellowknife.
The Nunavut Property Assessment and Taxation Act is amended to delete references to railways, Indian reserves and Inuvialuit lands that have no application in Nunavut.
The Nunavut Western Canada Lottery Corporation Act is amended to provide the term "licence holder" in the Western Canada Lottery Regulations means Sport North, a society incorporated under the Northwest Territories Societies Act.
The Nunavut Department of Justice Act is amended to ensure that the Department of Justice of the Government of Nunavut is properly established.
The Nunavut Interpretation Act is amended to provide a definition of "territory". Thank you, Mr. Speaker.