Thank you, Mr. Kakfwi. Welcome to the committee. I open the floor now to general comments from the Members. Are there any general comments? Mr. Krutko.
Debates of Sept. 23rd, 1998
This is page numbers 155 - 185 of the Hansard for the 13th Assembly, 6th Session. The original version can be accessed on the Legislative Assembly's website or by contacting the Legislative Assembly Library. The word of the day was education.
Topics
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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David Krutko Mackenzie Delta
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. My question is about the Environmental Protection Act in which there was a suggestion that there should be additional penalty clauses where individuals have knowingly breached the act. In response, the Minister stated that he feels there is no reason for it to go in this bill, because there are alternative ways of doing that. Could the Minister clarify exactly what those alternative areas are?
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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The Chair Vince Steen
Thank you, Mr. Krutko. We were on general comments, but I will allow the question. Mr. Kakfwi.
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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Downe
Thank you, Mr. Chairperson. Mr. Chairperson, the Environmental Protection Act already makes it an offense to discharge contaminants. In the event that someone is found guilty of environmental offenses, the extent to which they have already been aware of their own non-compliance may be something the courts would take into consideration during sentencing. One of the ideas that was discussed during the standing committee, was that there may be a need for a specific offense to deal with instances in which a person might undertake an environmental audit or environmental site assessment, and then not report any non-compliance to the Chief Environmental Protection Officer. Given that offenses already exist within the existing Environmental Protection Acts, we felt that this would be unnecessary. Thank you, Mr. Chairperson.
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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Seamus Henry Yellowknife South
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, when this bill was first proposed in the House, there was a great to-do around the fact it would make things a lot easier for employers, be a great economic boost to legislation that was already in place in the Northwest Territories. I was disappointed when the first portion of the bill came before us because I did not see an awful lot of amendments that would streamline business or make the acts a lot more streamlined for business. I had questioned the Minister on this and he informed me that there was at least two portions of these
amendments coming forward. I was at least pleased to see some of the important things that I believe the Ministers' staffs are working on, such as the Labour Standards Act. This is an act that is outdated. There was a motion passed in this Assembly directing the government to make the necessary changes, especially to the commission employees, inserting clauses in there to give some protection to employees and employers under that act. I was at least pleased to see that the second portion of this will contribute more to the employment opportunities for people and also to give some sense of something we can rely on, both as employers and employees. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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The Chair Vince Steen
Thank you, Mr. Henry. Further general comments? If there are no further general comments, I would ask the Minister if he would like to respond to general comments.
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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Stephen Kakfwi Sahtu
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The amendments we put forward have been as I say, largely suggested by the private sector stakeholders involved that are knowledgeable about the regulatory environment in which they have to operate. As well from our own officials within the government. We have focused on doing proper consultation, receiving suggestions, providing feedback on the suggestions and working through a rather labour intensive process to arrive at the amendments we have put together, in front of you, today.
The most recent suggestions made by the Canadian Arctic Resources Committee representative, were very last minute and they had not previously made any suggestions or responses to the proposed amendments that were circulated earlier in the summer. There were two of them, but we received these last week, and we had our officials working over the weekend to look at them and to weigh the merits of the suggestions that were made. In the final analysis, we think the intent of the amendments, the nature of the amendments that were made and agreed to, through the consultative process, with the stakeholders, have to be respected and adhered to, at this time. Consequently, I have written, responding to the suggestions that were made at that time. So, we would like to proceed with the amendments as we had agreed with the standing committee and leave it at that, at this time.
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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The Chair Vince Steen
Thank you, Mr. Minister. We are through general comments, so does the committee agree to go clause-by-clause?
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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Some Hon. Members
Agreed.
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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The Chair Vince Steen
Agreed. Thank you. The Bill is quite complicated to find the clauses here, so I will try to guide the committee through the document, as we go along here. Cover sheet, Bill 5, Regulatory Reform Measures Act, reprint. Agreed?
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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Some Hon. Members
Agreed.
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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The Chair Vince Steen
Thank you, Mr. Krutko. I will ring the bell, until we have a quorum. I now recognize a quorum and call the committee back to order. We were on page 1 of Bill 5. Bill 5, Regulatory Reform Measures Act. Agreed?
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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Some Hon. Members
Agreed.
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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Some Hon. Members
Agreed.
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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Some Hon. Members
Agreed.
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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The Chair Vince Steen
Thank you. Way over on page 5, we have clause 3, Commissioner's Land Act. Agreed?
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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Some Hon. Members
Agreed.
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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The Chair Vince Steen
It is on page 5. Agreed. Thank you. On the same page, Consumer Protection Act, Clause 4. Agreed?