Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I am pleased to come before the Committee of the Whole to discuss Bill 12, An Act to Amend the Territorial Court Act.

This bill would amend the Territorial Court Act to allow for more efficient, cost-effective administration. Amendments relate primarily to the Judicial Remuneration Commission and the to Territorial Court judges.

Currently, the act provides that the NWT Judicial Remuneration Commission must hold an inquiry every three years to set judges' salaries and benefits. GNWT pays the entire cost of these inquiries which totalled over $200,000 in 2001 and $300,000 in 2004. This bill, Mr. Chairman, would reduce cost to the GNWT by increasing the time between inquiries spreading costs over a longer period.

The bill would also allow complaints about judges to be reviewed more quickly. Currently, a subcommittee must review all complaints to the Judicial Council. It would be faster and more effective to allow the chairperson of the Judicial Council to refer minor complaints about Territorial Court judges to the chief judge. Serious complaints would continue, Mr. Chairman, to be referred to a subcommittee of the Judicial Council.

Finally, this bill would clarify the residency requirement for judicial candidates. Currently, the act could be interpreted as requiring a person to be resident in the NWT in order to be eligible for appointment as a territorial judge. It's necessary for judges to reside in the Territories during the term of their appointments. However, requiring candidates to live here before being eligible for appointment may not be compliant with the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. The proposed amendment, Mr. Chairman, corrects the problem.

The judiciary and the Law Society of the NWT have been consulted and they do not object to the proposed changes. I would be pleased to answer questions the committee may have about this bill. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.