This is page numbers 833 - 910 of the Hansard for the 14th Assembly, 5th 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 chairman.

Topics

Committee Motion 29-14(5): To Repeal Subsection 2(3) Of The Legislative Assembly And Executive Council Act (carried)
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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The Chair

The Chair David Krutko

Ms. Lee, your motion is in order. To the motion. Question has been called. All those in favour? All those against? The motion is carried. Ms. Lee, do you have another motion?

Committee Motion 30-14(5): To Enact Electoral Districts Boundaries Commission Legislation (carried)
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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Sandy Lee

Sandy Lee Range Lake

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I would also like to thank one lone journalist sitting in the dark over there at this late hour. Mr. Chairman, I have a second motion;

I MOVE that this committee recommends that the 14th Legislative Assembly enact Electoral Districts Boundaries Commission legislation similar to that previously in force, but with such changes as may be desirable to maximize public involvement and to ensure the effective representation of all communities.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Committee Motion 30-14(5): To Enact Electoral Districts Boundaries Commission Legislation (carried)
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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The Chair

The Chair David Krutko

Thank you, Ms. Lee. The motion is in order. To the motion. Mr. Roland.

Committee Motion 30-14(5): To Enact Electoral Districts Boundaries Commission Legislation (carried)
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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Floyd Roland

Floyd Roland Inuvik Boot Lake

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Just one short comment regarding this establishment of an Electoral Boundaries Commission. Hopefully this would be just to establish the act, but it would not be an automatic every four years or something like that. I would have concerns.

Since this government has come into force, and after having to deal with the last boundaries commission report and the challenge that we faced, and then establishing new seats, I was reminded on different occasions of the size of our government. I can only see an Electoral Boundaries Commission establishing more seats in the future, not less. That is a concern, unless we start to grow by population in leaps and bounds. I think that is something we have to keep in mind.

For example, a lot of the supplementary appropriation we passed tonight had to do a lot with bureaucracy and not with new programs and services to people, so I think that is something we must keep in mind. The more we add here, the more we take away from other places. I just hope that if this is going to be considered, when it is developed, it is not an automatic every four years, but legislation would be there for future governments to decide at some point to kick this into place. Thank you.

Committee Motion 30-14(5): To Enact Electoral Districts Boundaries Commission Legislation (carried)
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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The Chair

The Chair David Krutko

To the motion. Mr. Lafferty.

Committee Motion 30-14(5): To Enact Electoral Districts Boundaries Commission Legislation (carried)
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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Leon Lafferty North Slave

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I support this motion, but I would like to add something to this motion, that maybe we have to put a boundaries commission at an earlier date, like this session, because we have seen what happened here in the House yesterday where Cabinet and Yellowknife voted together as a block. It is not fair to the rest of the communities when this happens. Maybe we should have a boundaries commission and make it so that Yellowknife does not have so many seats so they can have all the power with the Cabinet, like something that happened in this session. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Committee Motion 30-14(5): To Enact Electoral Districts Boundaries Commission Legislation (carried)
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 908

The Chair

The Chair David Krutko

To the motion. Ms. Lee.

Committee Motion 30-14(5): To Enact Electoral Districts Boundaries Commission Legislation (carried)
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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Sandy Lee

Sandy Lee Range Lake

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. If I may, I just want to respond to Mr. Roland's comment, as he was not able to take part in some of the discussions. I just want to tell him that the concern he has raised in that comment was raised in our public hearings in many of our travels. The body of the recommendation, the explanation in the committee report, there is no indication there that says an Electoral Boundaries Commission should be created every Assembly. We are simply recommending that this Assembly addresses the vacancy in legislation at the moment.

With the dissolution of the 13th Assembly and post division, there is no Electoral Boundaries Commission Act, so there is no legislation in place right now to address any future consideration for an Electoral Boundaries Commission. The committee is also advising and would recommend, or is suggesting by this recommendation, that it is probably too late for the life of this Assembly to be able to establish that legislation and then create a commission in time for the next Assembly. We foresee that during the life of this Assembly, if we agree to that, we will be able to have a legislation in place and leave it to the next Assembly to decide whether or not they want to give it a go, to have a commission in place and look at the district boundaries.

Also, I would just like to advise the Members that we state in detail some of the latest judgments in the country. We believe that a lot of decisions, some important decisions, were made in the Yukon Territory, for example, where the decision allowed that the drawing of the boundaries does not have to specifically refer to a 25 percent average, that special consideration can be included when drawing the boundaries; transportation arrangements, distance, number of communities, and so on.

Let me just conclude by saying as much as possible, we tried to listen to the people who have told us about what is wrong with the current make-up of the district boundaries, such as there might be too many seats in Yellowknife, or there are some ridings with too many communities. We are recommending that all those points be considered by the next Electoral Boundaries Commission. Thank you.

Committee Motion 30-14(5): To Enact Electoral Districts Boundaries Commission Legislation (carried)
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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The Chair

The Chair David Krutko

To the motion. Question has been called. All those in favour? All those against? The motion is carried. Does the committee agree that Committee Report 6-14(5) is concluded?

Committee Motion 30-14(5): To Enact Electoral Districts Boundaries Commission Legislation (carried)
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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Some Hon. Members

Agreed.

Committee Motion 30-14(5): To Enact Electoral Districts Boundaries Commission Legislation (carried)
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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The Chair

The Chair David Krutko

What is the wish of the committee? Mr. Dent.

Committee Motion 30-14(5): To Enact Electoral Districts Boundaries Commission Legislation (carried)
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 909

Charles Dent

Charles Dent Frame Lake

Mr. Chairman, I move we report progress.

Committee Motion 30-14(5): To Enact Electoral Districts Boundaries Commission Legislation (carried)
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 909

The Chair

The Chair David Krutko

There is a motion on the floor to report progress. The motion is not debatable. All those in favour? All those against? The motion is carried. We will rise and report progress. At this time, I would like to recognize Mark Miltenberger, who has been keeping an eye on his little brother here, just keeping him in line. At least somebody is watching over the Minister of Health. We will rise and report progress.

Committee Motion 30-14(5): To Enact Electoral Districts Boundaries Commission Legislation (carried)
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 909

The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

The House will come back to order. Item 20, report of the committee of the whole. The honourable Member for Mackenzie Delta, Mr. Krutko.

Item 20: Report Of Committee Of The Whole
Item 20: Report Of Committee Of The Whole

June 18th, 2002

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David Krutko

David Krutko Mackenzie Delta

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, your committee has been considering: Bill 8, An Act to Amend the Nursing Profession Act and the Pharmacy Act; Bill 13, An Act to Amend the Income Tax Act, No. 2; Bill 17, Supplementary Appropriation Act, No. 1, 2002-2003; and Committee Report 6-14(5), and would like to report progress with two motions being adopted. Committee Report 6-14(5) is concluded. Bills 8, 13 and 17 are now ready for third reading as amended. Mr. Speaker, I move that the report of the committee of the whole be concurred with.

Item 20: Report Of Committee Of The Whole
Item 20: Report Of Committee Of The Whole

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The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. Do we have a seconder for the motion? The honourable Member for Great Slave seconds the motion. The motion is in order. All those in favour? All those opposed? Thank you. The motion is carried. Item 21, third reading of bills. Mr. Clerk, orders of the day.

Item 22: Orders Of The Day
Item 22: Orders Of The Day

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Clerk Of The House Mr. David Hamilton

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Meetings for tomorrow at 9:00 a.m. of the Standing Committee on Accountability and Oversight and Cabinet House Strategy; at 10:30 a.m. of the Standing Committee on Social Programs; and at 12:00 noon of the Board of Management.

Orders of the day for Wednesday, June 19, 2002:

  1. Prayer
  2. Ministers' Statements
  3. Members' Statements
  4. Returns to Oral Questions
  5. Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery
  6. Oral Questions
  7. Written Questions
  8. Returns to Written Questions
  9. Replies to Opening Address
  10. Petitions
  11. Reports of Standing and Special Committees
  12. Reports of Committees on the Review of Bills
  13. Tabling of Documents
  14. Notices of Motion
  15. Notices of Motion for First Reading of Bills
  16. Motions
  17. First Reading of Bills

- Bill 20, Legal Registries Statutes Amendment Act

- Bill 23, Miscellaneous Statutes Amendment Act, 2002

  1. Second Reading of Bills
  2. Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

- Minister's Statement 46-14(5), Social Agenda Working Group Report

- Minister's Statement 47-14(5), GNWT Response to the Social Agenda Report

- Tabled Document 35-14(5), Social Agenda: A Draft for People of the NWT

  1. Report of Committee of the Whole
  2. Third Reading of Bills

- Bill 5, An Act to Amend the Adoption Act and Family Law Act

- Bill 8, An Act to Amend the Nursing Profession Act and the Pharmacy Act

- Bill 13, An Act to Amend the Income Tax Act, No. 2

- Bill 17, Supplementary Appropriation Act, No. 1, 2002-2003

  1. Orders of the Day

Item 22: Orders Of The Day
Item 22: Orders Of The Day

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The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

Thank you, Mr. Clerk. Accordingly, this House stands adjourned until Wednesday, June 19, 2002, at 1:30 p.m.

-- ADJOURNMENT

The House adjourned at 10:48 p.m.