The Standing Committee on Accountability and Oversight recommended that the income support regulations be amended to allow compensation payments, including impact benefit agreement payments to be exempt from assessment as income under the income support program. Noting that the majority of jurisdictions allow some form of exemption for compensation payments for victims of crime, committee suggested that the government consider an upper limit on the amount of the payment that is exempt annually. The Minister argued that the issue was a complicated one and asked the working group on harmonization be asked to review the issues prior to recommending any changes to the income exemption policy.

Mr. Speaker, the committee could see no reason for the issue to be referred to the harmonization working group and again urged the Minister to revise his position and allow NWT residents to retain compensation from companies now using their lands.

Given the amount of time devoted to discussion and correspondence on this topic, the Standing Committee on Accountability and Oversight recommends that the 15th Legislative Assembly move quickly to resolve this issue.