Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Yes, I do. I am pleased to speak to Bill 16, Justice Administration Statutes Amendment Act, 2003. This act will make minor amendments to six acts that will lead to the administration of justice in the Northwest Territories. The acts amended by this bill are the Coroner's Act, Corrections Act, Judicature Act, Justice of the Peace Act, Legal Services Act and the Territorial Court Act. The bill will amend the Coroner's Act to allow for remuneration of the chief coroner to be set out in regulations within the act. Also the bill will change the procedure for delivering a summons for duty on a coroner's jury so that it is consistent with the Jury Act and process.

The Corrections Act will be amended to change from 50 to 60 days the length of time an offender may be released in order to participate in a wilderness camp or other correction programs.

This bill will also amend the Adjudicator Act to set out the powers of the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court to make rules respecting practices and procedures before that court. These amendments were requested by the judiciary and the department supports them.

Bill 16 also makes a housekeeping amendment to the Justices of the Peace Act to remove any reference to a regional judge that is not used elsewhere.

This bill makes several amendments to the Legal Services Act, which governs the Legal Services Board and the provision of legal aid. Section 5 of the act will be amended to provide that an honorarium will be paid to board members who are members of the public service of Canada or the Northwest Territories. Even with this change, GNWT policy would only permit employees to receive payment for meetings on weekends, evenings or when on leave. The bill also includes an amendment to allow the honorarium to be set in the regulations.

The final amendments are to the Territorial Court Act. The first amendment would extend the time from 90 to 120 days for the Judicial Remuneration Commission to deliver its report and for the commission to implement the recommendations of the commission's report. The amendment relating to the commission report was requested by the commission.

The second amendment would increase access to the courts for NWT residents. This bill will amend the Territorial Court Act to increase the small claims limit to $10,000 from the current limit of $5,000. This was last changed in 1978.

Mr. Chairman, I would be pleased to answer any questions Committee of the Whole may have. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The Standing Committee on Social Programs met on Wednesday, June 11, 2003, to review Bill 16, Justice Administration Statutes Amendment Act. This act makes minor amendments to a number of statutes, including the Coroner's Act, Corrections Act, Judicature Act, Justices of the Peace Act, Legal Services Act and Territorial Court Act.

The committee asked whether an amendment to the Legal Services Act to allow members of the public service on the Legal Services Board to receive an honorarium would interfere with the GNWT's current civic leave policy outlined in the FMBS human resource manual. The government stated this amendment would simply allow a possible honorarium to be paid to those on the board in the public service who would be attending meetings of the Legal Services Board on the weekends or other non-working hours. This concludes the committee's opening comments on Bill 16. Individual committee Members may have questions or comments as we proceed. Following the committee's review, a motion was carried to report Bill 16, Justice Administration Statutes Amendment Act, to the Assembly as ready for consideration by Committee of the Whole. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Yes, if I may, Mr. Chairman.

It's a pleasure, Mr. Chairman, to introduce Mr. Mark Aitken, legislative counsel for the Department of Justice.