Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, I believe this was an issue in the Yukon. I believe the Yukon Government was able to resolve it, regarding communities such as Mayo and other smaller communities, who received outdoor rinks. They were able to come up with a project to shelter these outdoor rinks by putting a covering on top of them. I would just like to ask the Minister if he could have his department look at how they were able to accomplish it in the Yukon.

For the Minister's sake, I have formally written a letter to your predecessor on this matter because the community of Tsiigehtchic did request that they if they do get a rink, that it has some sort of shelter on it. I would just like to remind the Minister of that.

I would like to ask the Minister if he would consider looking at other areas in Canada or other territories, what they are doing to look at outdoor rinks and the feasibility of putting shelters or covers over top of them.

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. Mr. Steen.

Mr. Chairman, this is what I meant by having the municipal engineer review what is available, including what is available and what is being used in other jurisdictions, and then bringing that forward as an option that the community may want to consider. I can pass that information on to the Member. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Steen. Mr. Krutko.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. If the Minister really wants to get motivated, look at the Fort McPherson Canvas Shop, where we have a lot of canvas. We might be able to help you out in that area as well. We make tents, tee-pees, even covers for outdoor skating rinks.

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. Mr. Steen.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. We will look at all options.

Thank you, Mr. Steen. We are on capital, page 7, total regional operations, $4,718,000.

Total department, $6,718,000.

Does the committee agree consideration of Municipal and Community Affairs is concluded?

I would like to thank the Minister and his witnesses for appearing. As we previously agreed, we will proceed to review Bill 7, An Act to Amend the Legislative Assembly Retiring Allowances Act and the Supplementary Retiring Allowances Act. I would like to call on the Minister responsible for bringing this bill forward for any opening remarks. Mr. Steen.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, my opening remarks on Bill 7.

As a Member of the Board of Management representing the Executive Council, I have been assigned the responsibility to introduce Bill 7, An Act to Amend the Legislative Assembly Retiring Allowances Act and the Supplementary Retiring Allowances Act.

As Members are aware, Mr. Chairman, this bill is best described as an all Members bill and is not a government-sponsored bill, so each Member is free to vote as they see fit on this matter. This bill was developed upon the adoption of a motion of the Legislative Assembly on November 6th last year. The motion, Mr. Chairman, asked that a bill be developed that would offer Members of the 14th Assembly participation in a supplementary pension plan, with the following criteria:

1. Members have to contribute;
2. Members have to apply to join, and participation in the plan is not compulsory;
3. Members pension would be calculated at two percent; and
4. Eligibility for a pension would be four years or one full term of a Legislative Assembly.

The bill before us today will allow Members of the Legislative Assembly to participate in a supplementary retiring allowance plan. Those Members who participate in the supplementary plan will be required to increase their contributions to the registered plan by 2.5 percent for a total contribution of 9 percent.

To participate in the supplementary plan, current Members will be given a one-time offer to elect to join the new plan. If a Member chooses to join, the appropriate form will have to be filed with the Speaker.

The normal retirement age for the supplementary plan will be 60 years. Members who participate in the supplementary plan would be eligible for a retirement pension of 2 percent of their average earnings, over his or her best four years as an MLA, multiplied by years of credited service. Pensions are payable for the life of the Member. If a Member dies and has a surviving spouse, 66 and 2/3 percent of the pension will continue to their spouse.

In addition, if the deceased Member is survived by dependent children, each child will receive a 10 percent pension. Where there is no surviving spouse, each child will receive 25 percent pension for as long as the child remains a dependent.

Mr. Chairman, the bill provides for current Members who were Members of the 13th Legislative Assembly to be given the option of having their 13th Legislative Assembly service covered, provided they pay the full cost of including that service under this plan.

The bill also changes numerous provisions of the Legislative Assembly Retiring Allowances Act and the Supplementary Retiring Allowances Act to ensure that the two plans are alike and consistent with similar plans wherever possible. Finally, this bill makes other changes to clarify the details of the registered and supplementary plans.

Mr. Chairman, pension legislation and its various requirements for compliance with federal legislation are very complex. However, I have been advised that all of the provisions of our Retiring Allowances Act comply with the Income Tax Act and the requirements of the Canada Customs and Revenue Agency.

Mr. Chairman, I would be pleased, with the assistance of my officials, to assist with the consideration of this bill. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Thank you, Mr. Minister. Seeing as there was no review by standing committee of this bill, I will see if the Minister would like to bring in any witnesses. Mr. Minister.

Yes, Mr. Chairman, I would.

Thank you, Mr. Steen. Does the committee agree?

Would the Sergeant-at-Arms escort the witnesses in please? Mr. Minister, for the record, would you please introduce your witnesses?

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, on my right is Ms. Diane Buckland, legislative counsel, Department of Justice. On my left is Mr. David Hamilton, Clerk of the Legislative Assembly.

Thank you, Mr. Steen. We will go to general comments. Mr. Roland.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. On Bill 7, as a result of yesterday, I decided to do a little bit of history, I guess, on the supplementary appropriation, especially with some of the comments made in the House by Members of the Assembly. I wanted to find out when this came in, and again, sparked by some of the comments. I refer to unedited Hansard, page 945. The Premier was speaking to this and stated, and I quote:

Since it was bestowed upon us by previous Assemblies, it was difficult, as Mr. Antoine has indicated, to stand there and talk about what we thought we deserved or did not deserve.

I checked on the definition of bestowed, and my understanding is it was something that was given as a gift, in a sense, or in that nature. When I was looking at the history of the Supplementary Retiring Allowances Act, I found out that in fact, in 1989, this bill was brought forward as Bill 28-89(2), and found out that it was the 11th Assembly that brought this in. We still have one current existing Member who was actually part of the crew that helped bestow this upon Members of that time. I must for the record state Mr. Premier was part of the crew. It is interesting. This thing does have some history.

As well, Mr. Chairman, looking at this situation and looking at what happened there, trying to find out if there was debate or what was brought in this area. Second reading of Bill 28-89(2), Supplementary Retiring Allowances Act, there was no discussion to the principle of the bill and everybody, I guess as I see it: "All those in favour? All those opposed? The motion is carried.", according to Hansard, November 1, 1989, page 486.

I found out some further history on this subject. On November 2, 1989, page 593 of Hansard, third reading of Bill 28-89(2), Supplementary Retiring Allowances Act, it was the Honourable Tom Butters:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Sahtu, that Bill 28-89(2), Supplementary Retiring Allowances Act, be read for the third time.

Then it was carried, Mr. Speaker. That was the establishment of the Supplementary Retiring Allowances Act.

We heard much debate yesterday in this House about re-establishing the Supplementary Retiring Allowances Act, and I just gave a brief comment that I would not be supporting it as my stance in the 13th Assembly is still the same today.

After some discussion with Members, and Members making comments that I should in fact double-check with my wife to make sure I was making the right decision, I did so. I have talked to my wife and also to other members of my constituency. I know this is not looked upon very kindly by members of the public and it would always be difficult, I agree with Members, that bringing something in of this nature would get any favour from a lot of people out there, no matter what the conditions.

My stance is still the same. This is not appropriate to bring in a Supplementary Retiring Allowances Act. There are times when I look at it and say yes, I have done as much work as previous Members of this Legislative Assembly, and based on that, maybe I should qualify for it. However, at the same time, my stance remains the same and in principle, I cannot support this bill. I would hope that Members would see that, but knowing as well from the events of yesterday, it looks like this is going to proceed.

It was interesting to hear the debate. I agree, Members had said they were interested in hearing this debate. I believe this is the first time in the history of the Legislative Assembly of the Northwest Territories that a bill of this nature has received so much debate. With that, thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Thank you, Mr. Roland. General comments. Ms. Lee.