Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Tu Nedhe, that Bill 7, An Act to Amend the Education Act and the Property Assessment Act and Taxation Act be read for the first time.

The motion is in order. To the motion. Question has been called. All those in favour? All those opposed? The motion is carried. Bill 7 has had first reading. First reading of bills. Mr. Todd.

Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Kitikmeot, that Bill 9, Supplementary Appropriation Act, No. 2, 1998-99 be read for the first time. Thank you.

Thank you. The motion is in order. To the motion. Question has been called. All those in favour? All those opposed? The motion is carried. Bill 9 has had first reading. Item 18, second reading of bills, Mr. Todd.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I seek consent to proceed with the second reading of Bill 7, An Act to Amend the Education Act and the Property Assessment and Taxation Act. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Todd. Mr. Todd is seeking consent to have second reading of Bill 7. Are there any nays? There is a nay. I am informed it requires two nays to stand down the bill, so proceed, Mr. Todd. You have consent.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you, colleagues. Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Tu Nedhe, that Bill 7, An Act to Amend the Education Act and the Property Assessment and Taxation Act be read for the second time.

Mr. Speaker, this bill amends the Education Act and Property Assessment and Taxation Act, with respect to taxation for educational purposes. It establishes an education mill rate for Iqaluit, deems the mill rate establishment order 1997 and the mill rate establishment order, 1998 to have been authorized and deems an amendment to municipal tax authority payment regulations to have to come into force, July 1, 1996. The act was amended to correct errors and provision references, clarify the property that is liable to assessment and taxation for territorial, municipal, local purposes, under the Property Assessment and Taxation Act, is liable to assessment and taxation for education purposes.

Provide that only education bodies that have been allocated the power set out in paragraph 119(c) to receive annually from the tax authority for the district, the sum of money collected for the property taxes for education purposes, are required to call a meeting of the rate payers of the education district.

Provide that a municipal, taxing authority shall pay the property taxes that are attributable to the levy of the education mill rate, to an education body. If they were levied, pursuant to the request of education body and if not, to the collector of taxes.

Change certain references to the District Education Authority, to education body, the Property Assessment and Taxation Act is amended to change certain references to district education authority to education body.

Provide that the Minister of Finance may establish an education mill rate for each property class in a municipal taxation area where no education body has been allocated the power set out in paragraph 119(c) of the Education Act, to receive from the taxing authority, for the district, sums of money collected from the property taxes, for education purposes.

It is long winded, Mr. Speaker, but that is the bill. Thank you.

Thank you. The motion is in order. To the principle of the bill. Question has been called. All those in favour? All those opposed? The motion is carried. Bill 7, An Act to Amend the Education Act and the Property Assessment and Taxation Act has had second reading and accordingly the bill stands referred to committee. Mr. Todd, second reading of bills.

Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Kitikmeot, that Bill 9, Supplementary Appropriation Act, No. 2, 1998-1999, be read for the second time. Mr. Speaker, this bill makes supplementary appropriations for the government of the NWT for the fiscal year ending March 31, 1998. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you. The motion is in order. To the principle of the bill. Question has been called. All those in favour? All those opposed? The motion is carried. Bill 9 has had second reading and accordingly the bill stands referred to committee. Item 19, consideration in committee of the whole of bills and other matters, Bill 5, Regulatory Reform Measures Act, Bill 9, Supplementary Appropriation Act, No 2, 1998-1998, with Mr. Steen in the Chair.

Agreed.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, the Standing Committee on Government Operations reviewed Bill 5, The Regulatory Reform Measures Act, at its meetings on September 1, 2, 15 and 21, 1998. The committee would like to thank the Minister of Resources, Wildlife and Economic Development, the Minister of Finance and officials for presenting this bill and responding to the issues raised by the committee.

Bill 5 would amend 16 acts and appeal two acts that have never been proclaimed in force. This proposal is the first phase of the regulatory reform initiative which was announced in March 1997. The standing committee raised several questions and issues with the Minister during its review. Six motions were passed to amend the bill at the committee stage.

amended to provide that the Minister may cause compensation to be paid in these circumstances. The bill would amend the Financial Administration Act, to allow the Minister responsible for a department or public agency, to set or change a fee under the act.

The committee questioned the Minister regarding the lack of any requirement to report fee changes to the Financial Management Board. The bill was amended at the committee stage to require new fees. Changes to the fees or removal of the fees, to be reported to the Financial Management Board within 60 days. Other motions were passed at the committee stage to clarify the wording of proposed amendments to the Public Utilities Act and to provide for methods of notice of cancellation of a direct sales contract to be set out in the regulations under the Consumer Protection Act. Bill 5 also provides for a system of voluntary reporting, to be instituted under the Environmental Protection Act.

Individuals or corporations that voluntarily report information about non-compliance with the act or regulations obtained through an environmental audit or environmental site assessment, would be immune from prosecution if they comply with any agreement negotiated with environmental authorities or any other made under the act. Committee Members support efforts to encourage voluntary compliance with the act, but questioned the Minister regarding the potential for abuses of these provisions. Members also raised comments received by the committee, that the bill should contain an additional penalty clause for knowingly concealing a breach of the act and that there should be a process for public input into any agreement or order made under the proposed voluntary reporting provisions. The Minister agreed that he would report, that he would respond to the committee on these issues before the bill was discussed in the committee of the whole and the Minister has done so. In the Minister's view, it is not necessary to amend the bill in the committee of the whole or to deal with these issues. The Minister advised that the act already makes it an offense to discharge contaminants and to the extent to which a person was aware of the discharge, could be taken into account by the court during sentencing. Under volunteer reporting provisions, a person will not have immunity from the prosecution unless the person turns over all information in his or her possession. The Minister also suggested that a requirement for public input could reduce the department's ability to act quickly in relation to the environmental damage and remove the incentive for the use of voluntary reporting provisions. The committee was advised that the government would review the issue and develop policy options for a new approach to informing the public about environmental problems and responses. The Chairperson, committee members, may question the Minister on these issues or have additional comments on the Bill as we proceed. This concludes the standing committee's comments on Bill 5, The Regulatory Reform Measures Act. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Agreed.