Thank you, Ms. Lee. Item 7, written questions. Item 8, returns to written questions. Item 9, replies to opening address. Item 10, petitions. Item 11, reports of standing and special committees. Mr. Menicoche.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the Standing Committee on Accountability and Oversight is pleaded to provide its report on the committee's priorities and objectives and recommends it to the House.

The Members of the Standing Committee on Accountability and Oversight held a two-day operational planning workshop in Deline on April 14 and 15, 2004. The purpose of the workshop was to review the committee's mandate and to develop an approach to how Members will carry it out over the life of this assembly.

The committee agreed to maintain its existing terms of reference, as outlined in the rules of the Legislative Assembly, and adopted the following vision and mission statements:

Vision

Our vision is a strong, effective consensus government that has the confidence of the people of the NWT.

Mission

Our mission will be to take purposeful and unified action, where appropriate, to support, question or oppose government initiatives and to hold government accountable. We will also use our collective power to influence government to take action and/or to change its policies when in the public interest.

Priorities And Objectives

In the course of our workshop, Members identified a number of priorities and objectives we want to address during our term. We expect that some of these items will be pursued more directly by the Standing Committee on Governance and Economic Development and the Standing Committee on Social Programs in keeping with the mandates of those committees. This is, of course, only an initial list that will need to be revised to meet changing needs and circumstances.

As committee members were also active participants in developing the 15th Assembly vision and goals, that document reflects many of the items we discussed, such as ensuring that northerners benefit from resource development, completing aboriginal land, resource and self-government agreements, clear, accountable and efficient governance structures, and adequate, affordable and accessible housing for residents.

One of our key priorities will, therefore, be to hold the government accountable to our collective 15th Assembly vision and goals.

Other, more specific objectives we plan to pursue are:

• • Restructuring of the GNWT's internal human resource services to provide a more efficient and accountable system
• • A reconsideration of past reports and recommendations on the GNWT's affirmative action policy
• • Division of the Department of Resources, Wildlife and Economic Development
• • A review of all GNWT boards and agencies
• • A review of the operations and mandate of the NWT Housing Corporation, including the rent scales for social housing
• • An operational review of the Workers' Compensation Board, and completion of the amendments to the legislation
• • Consideration of new legislation to protect whistleblowers
• • Consideration of new fiscal responsibility legislation
• • A review of the Liquor Act
• • A review of the Residential Tenancies Act
• • A cost/benefit analysis of the business incentive policy
• • Improving the land transfer process, and in particular accelerating land transfers to municipalities
• • Increased investment in early childhood development programs
• • Equal access to student financial assistance for trades students and persons with disabilities
• • Increased investment in trades and apprenticeship programs
• • Introduction of measures to mitigate the impacts of past hydro developments
• • Development of a hydro project on the Bear River
• • Construction of an all-weather road between Tuktoyaktuk and Inuvik
• • Consideration of a logo for the NWT.

Ongoing goals of our committee that are explicitly included in our mandate are:

• • The comprehensive overview of the GNWT's budget and fiscal framework
• • The consideration of bills, budgets and financial management of the Department of the Executive, including the executive offices, the Ministry of Aboriginal Affairs, and the Financial Management Board Secretariat, and the Department of Finance
• • Examination of Auditor General's reports
• • Examination of the reports of statutory officers including the Commissioner of Official Languages, the Conflict of Interest Commissioner, the Information and Privacy Commissioner, the Equal Pay Commissioner and the Human Rights Commission
• • Coordination of House business scheduling and planning in cooperation with Cabinet.

Conclusion

The committee has a full agenda and a great deal of work ahead of it in order to fulfill our mandate. We look forward to working with the government to advance the vision and goals we set out together as the 15th Assembly, and the more specific priorities and objectives we have identified as a committee.

Mr. Speaker, that concludes the Accountability and Oversight committee's report on priorities and objectives.

I move, seconded by the Member for Yellowknife Centre, that Committee Report 6-15(3) be received and adopted. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Question is being called. All those in favour? All those opposed? The motion is carried.

---Carried

Committee Report 6-15(3) has been received and adopted. Item 11, reports of standing and special committees. Item 12, reports of committees on the review of bills. Item 13, tabling of documents. Item 14, notices of motion. The honourable Member for Sahtu, Mr. Yakeleya.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I give notice that on Thursday, June 3, 2004, I will move the following motion: Now therefore I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Nunakput, that this assembly recommends to the Commissioner of the Northwest Territories that Mr. David Krutko, the Member for Mackenzie Delta, be appointed to the Executive Council.

Mr. Speaker, at the appropriate time I will seek unanimous consent to deal with this motion today.

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. Item 14, notices of motion. Item 15, notices of motion for first reading of bills. Item 16, motions. The honourable Member for the Sahtu, Mr. Yakeleya.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I seek unanimous consent to deal with the motion I gave notice of earlier today.

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. The Member is seeking unanimous consent to deal with the motion he gave notice of. Are there any nays? There are no nays. You may proceed with your motion, Mr. Yakeleya.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you, colleagues.

WHEREAS section 61(1) of the Legislative Assembly and Executive Council Act requires that there shall be an Executive Council of the Northwest Territories;

AND WHEREAS Members of the Executive Council are appointed by the Commissioner on the recommendation of this Legislative Assembly;

NOW THEREFORE I MOVE, seconded by the honourable Member for Nunakput, that this assembly recommends to the Commissioner of the Northwest Territories that Mr. David Krutko, the Member for Mackenzie Delta, be appointed to the Executive Council.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. There's a motion on the floor. The motion is in order. To the motion.

Question is being called. All those in favour? All those opposed? The motion is carried.

---Carried

---Applause

Congratulations, Mr. Krutko, on your appointment. Item 16, motions. Item 17, first reading of bills. Item 18, second reading of bills. The honourable Minister of Education, Culture and Employment, Mr. Dent.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Deh Cho, that Bill 7, An Act to Amend the Legal Profession Act, be read for the second time.

Mr. Speaker, this bill amends the Legal Profession Act to provide that members may pay over to the Law Society of the Northwest Territories trust money that they have been unable to disburse for at least two years because the persons entitled to the funds cannot be located. The Law Society would hold the transferred money for five years, and during that period a person who would be entitled to claim the funds from the member may claim them from the Law Society. At the expiry of the five-year period, the transferred funds held by the Law Society, less administration fees, are paid to the Northwest Territories Law Foundation and may be used to further the objects of the foundation. The Law Society is empowered to make rules to facilitate the program.

In addition, the Legal Profession Act is amended:

• • to provide that the discipline committee shall be composed of a majority of resident members;
• • to provide that certain notices of the Law Society that must presently be mailed may be sent by other means;
• • to delete references to "treasury branches;"
• • to replace references specific to the Yukon territory with a term that also includes Nunavut.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Dent. The motion is in order. To the principle of the bill.

Question has been called. All those in favour? All those opposed? The motion is carried.

---Carried

Bill 7 has had second reading and accordingly the bill stands referred to a committee.

Item 18, second reading of bills. The honourable Minister of Education, Culture and Employment, Mr. Dent.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Weledeh, that Bill 8, Miscellaneous Statutes Amendment Act, 2004, be read for the second time.

Mr. Speaker, this bill corrects inconsistencies and errors in the statutes of the Northwest Territories. The bill also deals with other matters of a minor, non-controversial and non-complicated nature in the statutes and repeals statutory provisions that have ceased to have effect. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Dent. The motion is in order. To the principle of the bill.

Question has been called. All those in favour? All those opposed? The motion is carried.

---Carried

Bill 8 has had second reading and accordingly the bill stands referred to a committee. Item 18, second reading of bills. The honourable Minister of Finance, Mr. Roland.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Frame Lake, that Bill 9, Write-off of Assets and Debts Act, 2004-2005, be read for the second time.

Mr. Speaker, this bill authorizes the write-off of assets and debts in accordance with the Financial Administration Act. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Roland. The motion is in order. To the principle of the bill.