Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. The honourable Minister responsible for the Department of Resources, Wildlife and Economic Development, Mr. Antoine.

Thank you, Mr. Minister. Item 7, oral questions. The honourable Member for Great Slave, Mr. Braden.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister responsible for the Department of Justice in his capacity as the lead Minister for the Northwest Territories Residential Tenancy Act. Mr. Speaker, I would like to ask, what are the present rules regarding the obligations of landlords to notify tenants of rent increases? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Braden. The honourable Minister responsible for the Department of Justice, Mr. Allen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My understanding of the rules under the Residential Tenancy Act is that they must give 90 days notice. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Allen. Supplementary, Mr. Braden.

Mr. Speaker, are there any provisions or rules governing the rates of increase that landlords can impose? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Braden. The honourable Minister responsible for the Department of Justice, Mr. Allen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Again, my understanding of the legalities in this matter is under the statutes, there is no requirement to regulate rents, specifically the private rental market. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Minister. Supplementary, Mr. Braden.

Mr. Speaker, we have fresh evidence of sustained and extraordinarily high rent increases in the Yellowknife market, and I think they are shared by a couple of other communities in the NWT. By the way. I wanted to ask, is there some point at which a government should feel compelled to protect tenants from extraordinarily high and sustained rent increases? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Braden. The honourable Minister responsible for the Department of Justice, Mr. Allen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am familiar with the public debate on the issue of high rents. Again, I am going to base my response on the fact that it is in the private market sector of this debate, so I am not too sure we can really intervene as a government. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Minister. Final supplementary, Mr. Braden.

Mr. Speaker, I too have the interests of the private sector at heart, but there equally is a sector of our society that is experiencing undue pressure. Would the government undertake to review this situation and bring back to this Assembly options that would help protect the interests of tenants as well as the needs of landlords and developers? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Braden. The honourable Minister responsible for the Department of Justice, Mr. Allen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am going to respond in the similar text I did yesterday when I was questioned on the functional roles of LHOs and applied rent scales. I would like to advise the Member that I would like to discuss that with the private sector to see if we can assist those who are in need of that assistance.

Thank you, Mr. Minister. Item 7, oral questions. Item 8, written questions. Item 9, returns to written questions. Item 10, replies to opening address. Item 11, petitions. Item 12, reports of committees on the review of bills. Item 13, tabling of documents. The honourable Member for Great Slave, Mr. Braden.

Thank you, Mr. Braden. Item 13, tabling of documents. Item 14, notices of motion. Item 15, notices of motion for the first reading of bills. Item 16, motions. Item 17, first reading of bills. Item 18, second reading of bills. Item 19, consideration in committee of the whole of bills and other matters: Bill 2, Bill 4, Bill 10, Committee Report 1-14(5), Committee Report 2-14(5), Committee Report 3-14(5). By the authority given to the Speaker by Motion 2-14(5), the House is resolved into committee of the whole to sit beyond the time of adjournment until the committee is prepared to report, with Mr. Delorey in the chair.

I would like to call the committee of the whole to order. We have a number of items to deal with. What is the wish of the committee? Mr. Dent.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I would like to recommend the committee continue consideration of Bill 2 and Committee Report 1-14(5), Committee Report 2-14(5) and Committee Report 3-14(5) concurrently, to look specifically at the budget for the Department of Justice, followed by the Department of Finance and then the Legislative Assembly. Should we conclude the consideration of Bill 2, we can move on to Bill 4 and Bill 10.