Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The Standing Committee on Governance and Economic Development conducted a public review of Bill 15, An Act to Amend the Real Estate Agents' Licensing Act, on August 27, 2002. The committee would like to thank the Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs and his officials for presenting the bill.
The bill would remove the current requirement for a real estate agent to live in the Northwest Territories in order to be licensed to be a real estate agent in this jurisdiction.
The reason for the change is the Northwest Territories' participation in the Agreement on Internal Trade, which came into effect July 1, 1995, with the goal of reducing and eliminating barriers to trade within Canada. While certain programs such as the Business Incentive Policy and Affirmative Action Policy are exempt from the AIT, the residency requirement within the Northwest Territories Real Estate Agents' Licensing Act was the only area in which the Northwest Territories contravened this agreement.
The committee asked whether the Northwest Territories was obligated to pass this legislation. The department stated that the amendment was not only required to comply with the agreement but that the current Real Estate Agents' Licensing Act could be challenged as a violation of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms Act.
Further, the committee asked if the department had undertaken consultation on the proposed change to the act. The department stated that there are currently six agencies licensed under the act and that all agencies were contacted verbally. The only concern expressed during consultation was a wish to see the current requirement for a real estate agent to maintain a business office in the Northwest Territories be upheld.
Mr. Chairman, following the committee's review, a motion was carried to report Bill 15, An Act to Amend the Real Estate Agents' Licensing Act, to the Assembly as ready for committee of the whole. Additional comments or questions of Members may be posed as we proceed. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.