This is page numbers 63 - 90 of the Hansard for the 13th Assembly, 7th 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 social.

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Clerk Of The House Mr. David Hamilton

Mr. Picco, Mr. Ootes, Mr. Henry, Mrs. Groenewegen.

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Thank you. All those abstaining on Bill 16, please stand.

Clerk Of The House Mr. David Hamilton

Mr. O'Brien, Mr. Krutko.

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

On Bill 16, 12 for, four against, two abstentions. Bill 16 has had first reading. The motion is carried.

--Applause

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

First reading of bills. Item 18, second reading of bills. Mr. Todd.

Bill 9: Supplementary Appropriation Act, No. 5, 1998-99
Item 18: Second Reading Of Bills

March 22nd, 1999

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John Todd Keewatin Central

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Baffin South, that Bill 9, Supplementary Appropriation Act, No. 5, 1998-99, 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, 1999. Thank you.

Bill 9: Supplementary Appropriation Act, No. 5, 1998-99
Item 18: Second Reading Of Bills

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The Speaker Samuel Gargan

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 of the whole. Second reading of bills. Mr. Todd.

John Todd Keewatin Central

Mr. Speaker, I seek consent to proceed with the second reading of Bill 13, An Act to Amend the Financial Administration Act.

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

The Member for Keewatin Central is seeking consent to deal with Bill 13. Do we have any nays? Mr. Todd, you have consent.

John Todd Keewatin Central

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and thank you, colleagues. I move, seconded by the Honourable Member for Baffin South, that Bill 13, An Act to Amend the Financial Administration Act, be read for the second time.

Mr. Speaker, this bill amends the Financial Administration Act to expand the definition of a public officer to include a person acting as an agent for the government. The bill authorizes the investment of surplus funds in the consolidated revenue fund and the money belonging to public agencies in specified classes of investment.

The regulation-making power is added respecting the minimum standards of credit readiness that will be required of users of securities purchased by the government of public agencies. The bill also permits the territorial corporations specified in schedule C of the act, that is the Workers' Compensation Board, to invest in any class of security that its board of directors determines to be prudent. A consequential amendment is also being made to the Workers' Compensation Act.

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Thank you. The motion is in order. To the principle of the bill. Question has been called. All those in favour? All those opposed? Motion is carried. Bill 13 has had second reading and accordingly, the bill stands referred to a committee. Second reading of bills. Item 19, consideration in committee of the whole of bills and other matters. Bill 7, Miscellaneous Statutes Amendment Act, 1999; Bill 10, Forgiveness of Debts Act, 1998-99; Bill 11, Write-off of Assets Act, 1998-99; Bill 12, Write-off of Debts Act, 1998-99, with Mr. Ningark in the chair.

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 John Ningark

Thank you. I would like to call the committee to order. Under item 19, consideration in committee of the whole of bills and other matters, we have Bill 7, Miscellaneous Statutes Amendment Act, 1999; Bill 10, Forgiveness of Debts Act, 1998-99; Bill 11, Write-off of Assets Act, 1998-99; Bill 12, Write-off of Debts Act, 1998-99. May I have direction from the committee. What is the wish of the committee? Mr. Ootes.

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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Jake Ootes

Jake Ootes Yellowknife Centre

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. That we proceed with Bill 9, followed by Bill 7, Bill 10, Bill 11 and Bill 12, in that order.

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 John Ningark

Thank you. We have Bill 9, Bill 7, Bill 10, Bill 11 and Bill 12, in that order, as recommended by Mr. Ootes. 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 John Ningark

Do you wish to get on with business or do you wish to take a break? We will deal with Bill 9. Mr. Todd.

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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John Todd Keewatin Central

Thank you. Supplementary Appropriation Act, No. 5, 1998-99, requests authority for additional appropriations of $35,598,364, made up of $29,223,364 for operations and maintenance expenditures and $6.375 million for capital. Approximately $7.5 million of the new supplementary requirements will be offset by revenues or other recoveries and will not impact the government's operating results for the year. Twenty million dollars was anticipated and provided for in the government's fiscal framework to address the ultimate outcome of the new collective agreement. The net new funding requirements included in this supplementary appropriation amount to $8.1 million.

Improvement in the 1998-99 revenue forecasts and a one-time retroactive adjustment to the grant from Canada in the 1997-98 fiscal year has permitted the government to provide for additional critical needs through supplementary appropriations, which exceeds the anticipated requirements included in the 1998-99 Main Estimates.

With the revenue forecast adjustments on the year-to-date supplementary appropriations we do project an accumulated surplus at the end of the 1998-99 fiscal year of approximately $58 million as compared to an accumulated deficit of $28 million forecast in 1998-99 estimates.

The operations and maintenance supplementary appropriation requirements include the following major items: $20.5 million for implementation for the Job Evaluation System and the recently ratified collective agreement; $1.7 million to address the legal costs of the Conflict Inquiry; $1.6 million for the increase borrowing costs required to meet the government's requirements to the end of the fiscal year; and $1.6 million for the government's share of the replacement cost of the RCMP plane, this amount will be offset by recoveries of prior years' expenditures related to the Policing Agreement. The supplementary capital appropriation requirements include $5 million for the NWT Housing Corporation to address capital requirements associated with the Plan 2000 Program implementation. This will be offset by recovery of an operations and maintenance surplus from the Housing Corporation, $1 million for the Housing Corporation to extend the Minimum Down Payment Assistance Program pilot project. Mr. Chairman, that is all. Thank you.

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 John Ningark

Thank you, Mr. Todd. It is my understanding there are no committee review reports, so we will go into general comments. Before I do that, I would like to ask the Minister if he would like to bring in the witnesses? I take that as a yes. Does the committee agree?

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

Page 82

The Chair John Ningark

Mr. Todd will bring in the witnesses. Proceed, Sergeant-at-Arms. Mr. Todd, for the record, would you please introduce your witness to the committee?

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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John Todd Keewatin Central

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. To my immediate right is Mr. Lew Voytilla, deputy minister of the Financial Management Board Secretariat.

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 John Ningark

The floor is now open for general comments. Do you wish to go into detail now?

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 John Ningark

Thank you. We are dealing with Bill 9, Supplementary Appropriation Act, No. 5, 1998-99. We will go to page 5, detail. Legislative Assembly, operations and maintenance, not previously authorized, Office of the Clerk, not previously authorized, $2,126,666. 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.