Thank you, Mr. Nitah. Mr. Lafferty.

Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. General comments. Clause by clause. Does the committee agree?

You will find the bill in your grey binder at tab 6. Bill 6, National Aboriginal Day Act. Clause 1?

Clause 2?

Clause 3?

Clause 4?

Clause 5?

Agreed. Bill as a whole?

Does the committee agree that Bill 6 is ready for third reading?

Agreed. Bill 6 is now ready for third reading.

-- Applause

Thank you, Mr. Minister, and your witnesses. We will now go to Bill 11, Architects Act. Mr. Steen.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, I am pleased to present for public review Bill 11, the proposed new Architects Act.

Architecture is the only profession in the Northwest Territories dealing with health and safety of the public that is not regulated by statute. At this time, anyone can claim that they are qualified to provided architectural services for buildings regardless of their educational training. As a result, there is no guarantee that the architectural designers of NWT buildings are properly trained or qualified to correctly interpret and apply the requirements of the National Building Code and similar regulations. Every province in Canada now has legislation to regulate the practice of architecture and similar legislation is proposed in the new Architects Act.

Mr. Chairman, under the new Architects Act, membership as a restricted practitioner will be extended to individuals who currently practice architecture in the Northwest Territories. This ensures that all individuals who currently earn a living as owners/operators of an architectural business will be able to continue to do so after the act comes into force.

A new NWT Architectural Association will be created as part of this initiative. The association will have approximately 30 registered and graduate members to undertake all duties associated with self-regulation. The Architectural Association will be a self-funding body with its own council, registrar and committees. Membership dues and fees paid by NWT members and visiting project architects will generate the funding necessary to manage the association.

The act will also allow the Minister of Public Works and Services to appoint a public member to the Council of the Architectural Association. This will ensure that the association, as a self-governing body, has public participation. The new association will pay all costs associated with this appointment.

Mr. Chairman, a new version of the National Building Code beginning in 2002, will be less prescriptive and more performance based. This will place more responsibility on architects to interpret and properly apply building code requirements. The proposed Architects Act will help ensure that architects practicing in the Northwest Territories have the education, training and experience necessary to work with the new codes.

Mr. Chairman, I would like to mention that one minor drafting error has been found in Bill 11 as it now stands. I will be proposing a motion at the appropriate time to correct this error.

That concludes my opening remarks. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Thank you, Mr. Steen. I will go to the chairman of the standing committee, Mr. Roland.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. On October 29, 2001, the Honourable Vince Steen, Minister of Public Works and Services, and his officials appeared before the committee to present Bill 11, the Architects Act. The committee would like to thank the Minister and his officials for responding to issues raised by the committee during the public review.

The committee would also like to thank Wayne Guy, president of the Northwest Territories Architectural Society, for appearing before the committee and responding to those issues raised by Members.

This new act will provide for the creation of a professional association for architects in the Northwest Territories. The bill also provides for the regulation of the profession by the new association and requires, with some exceptions, persons practicing architecture to be authorized to do so by the association.

With the Minister's concurrence, committee members moved to have three clauses amended. These amendments do not change the substance of any section of the bill. The amendments corrected references to certain sections of the act and corrected awkward wording in one situation.

Mr. Chairman, committee members may have additional comments during the review of this bill in committee of the whole. This concludes the report of the Standing Committee on Governance and Economic Development on Bill 11, Architects Act. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Thank you, Mr. Roland. Will the Minister be bringing in any witnesses? Mr. Steen.

Yes, Mr. Chairman, I will.