Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. The committee supported a motion, carried on February 9, 2006, calling for the Premier and Minister of Finance to begin working with their counterparts to lobby the federal government to increase the northern residents tax deduction, and to index it annually in the future to keep pace with the cost of living. The committee continues to support this concept and urges the Premier and Finance Minister to pursue it with their federal and provincial counterparts.
Residential Tenancies Act Review
Increased Investment In Early Childhood Development Programs
Increased Programming For Drug And Alcohol Addictions Rehabilitation And Treatment
Adequate Resources For Transition Houses For Victims Of Domestic Violence
These priorities will be pursued by the Standing Committee on Social Programs.
Analysis Of Business Incentive Policy
Construction Of An All-Weather Road Between Tuktoyaktuk And Inuvik
Improvements To The Land Transfer Process
These priorities will be pursued by the Standing Committee on Governance and Economic Development.
Other Activities
Over the course of the last year, the standing committee has continued to move its priorities forward through theme days. A theme day is when Regular Members decide to collectively focus on a particular issue in the House through Members' statements, oral questions, and/or debate on motions. This provides an opportunity to raise the profile of a given issue with the government and with the public.
Mr. Speaker, a motion during the formal session of the Legislative Assembly is a proposal for the Assembly to do something, order something to be done or express an opinion on an issue that is presented to the Assembly for a decision. Following the introduction of the motion there is an opportunity to debate it, and then a vote.
In addition to the motions mentioned in earlier sections of this report, the committee supported the following:
Designated Budget For Art In GNWT Buildings
This motion, carried on June 5, 2006, called on the GNWT to establish a policy by April 1, 2007, requiring it to spend the equivalent of up to 1 percent of the budget of each new GNWT building or major renovation on northern art to be displayed or integrated into the design of that building.
At this time, Mr. Speaker, I'd like to pass the report on to my colleague, Mr. McLeod.