There are budget numbers in the capital plan. It would be the community’s capital plan that these budget numbers would be in.

Mr. Speaker, the responsibility for capital was transferred over to communities and the old funding method meant that the communities would have to compete with all GNWT projects. So now they have the ability to do their own capital plan and it would be the department’s desire and intent to assist them in putting these capital plans together so they can work on their plan for a few years down the road. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Final supplementary, Mr. Beaulieu.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Can the Minister advise me if, in the transfer of the capital plan, the Government of the NWT has considered in the capital plan that there will be a need for replacement of assets or purchase of new assets for the work that the community would have to do in the future? Thank you.

This is a message that I have been working on trying to get out to the community, that communities have all the responsibility. MACA will continue to give them their capital money. There is a base funding that we are hoping that is ongoing so communities can plan for future capital needs. There are other sources of money, too, that the department along with the GNWT have been trying to access to pass on to the communities. The GAP tax funding is a perfect example. That is going on for another few years. The Building Canada Fund, any other money that we are able to get from the government to use that and pass that on to the communities so that can help them meet their infrastructure needs. That is what this priority of this department is and that is what we will continue to do. The bottom line is the capital plan and the capital infrastructure are now decided on by the communities. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. The honourable Member for Yellowknife Centre, Mr. Hawkins.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, a constituent of mine for some time has been travelling to Edmonton on medical travel and their travel expense claims continues to be somewhat similar each time. Out of this process some difficulty has arisen but also a possible solution. What they did was they chose the lower cost option by renting a car from the airport to drive into the city for their appointments and whatnot and, of course, they came back to file their medical travel claim. To rent the car was actually cheaper than it was to do the normal $60 cab ride, $60 back and as well as all those multi cab rides.

So, Mr. Speaker, my question would be focussed to the Minister of Health and Social Services to looking at creating options that may help solve the problem that, A, my constituent has and, B, maybe create simpler options going forward with choice.

Would the Minister be willing to look at creating a process so what people would normally do with meal claims and travel claims is check a box and get a flat rate? Would the Minister be willing to look at a process for medical travel to give people the option if they want the independence to rent a car on their own and use that as their only transportation cost while they are on these normal everyday and very typical travel process and trips to Edmonton? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. The honourable Minister of Health and Social Services, Ms. Lee.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I thank the Member for that question. I did, in fact, talk to the particular constituents the Member is referring to and I have directed the department to look at ways to change our policies to allow patients to be able to claim a rental car as opposed to other modes of transportation like taxis, because things have changed now where renting a vehicle is often cheaper than riding in taxis. I think it’s a matter of changing paperwork. That’s why I have not been able to get back to that particular constituent. I will follow up in writing to the Member. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, my constituent is a loyal listener of the Legislative Assembly proceeding and I can tell you they’re probably watching right now. Mr. Speaker, so he’ll be very pleased with that brief an answer.

Mr. Speaker, at this time, you know, I’m glad to hear it’s going to work out, from the sounds of what the Minister had to say, but sometimes it has to be approved up front and I am suggesting we create a process where we inform people up front that if they want the choice of independence, they can have that and make it on their own or if they want the choice to submit receipts, they have that choice as well. So would the Minister be looking at incorporating this as a normal process going forward to help streamline our travel claims because if they don’t have to submit receipts, that saves a lot of time and energy and certainly in the long run it probably saves us a lot of money. Would the Minister be willing to look at incorporating that process? Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, I don’t know exactly what the process is. I believe obviously if we change the Medical Travel Policy to allow alternative modes of transportation, then that rule has to be communicated to those who will be going on medical travel and they will have to be advised as to, you know, you can either take a taxi or rent a vehicle, whichever is cheaper and so on. So that information item or informing the public will have to be part of that change and will be part of that. Thank you.

The time for oral questions has expired. Item 8, written questions. Item 9, returns to written questions. Mr. Clerk.

Thank you, Mr. Clerk. Item 10, replies to the opening address. Item 11, petitions. The honourable Member for Mackenzie Delta, Mr. Krutko.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to present a petition dealing with the matter of child and family services. Mr. Speaker, the petition contains 15 signatures from Inuvik residents. Mr. Speaker, the petitioners request that the Legislative Assembly immediately conduct a comprehensive review of the Child and Family Services Act in order to recommend changes to this legislation and its administration that would be more effective in supporting NWT families and more respectful of northern families. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. The honourable Member for Nunakput, Mr. Jacobson.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to present a petition dealing with the matter of the long-term care facility in Ulukhaktok. Mr. Speaker, the petition contains 88 signatures of residents of Ulukhaktok. Mr. Speaker, the petitioners request that the government build, maintain and staff a long-term care facility in Ulukhaktok for elders and disabled people. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Jacobson. Item 12, reports of standing and special committees. The honourable Member for Yellowknife Centre, Mr. Hawkins.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Standing Committee on Rules and Procedures is pleased to provide its Auxiliary Report on the Review of the Report of the Chief Electoral Officer

on the Administration of the 2007 Election and present it to the House.

The Standing Committee on Rules and Procedures tabled its first report, Committee Report 4-16, on the Review of the Report of the Chief Electoral Officer on the Administration of the 2007 Election on March 11, 2009. That report stated that additional research would be undertaken on three topics:

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criminal records checks for candidates;

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special ballots; and

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strengthening

enforcement.

This report is the result of the research and identifies additional recommendations by the standing committee to the Members of the Legislative Assembly.

Criminal Records Checks For Candidates

The standing committee members reviewed and considered a legal opinion from the Department of Justice on whether or not persons found guilty of an indictable offense or those with criminal records could be barred from being candidates in a territorial election. It was determined that such a ban would violate section 3 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, which guarantees all citizens the right to vote and to run for office, without restrictions on these rights.

The standing committee members have directed the Law Clerk and research services to examine options for a voluntary disclosure related to criminal convictions for all candidates. That information will be made available to all Members for consideration.

Special Ballots

Further to recommendations 16 and 25 contained in Committee Report 4-16(3), the standing committee further reviewed the provisions to simplify the process for the use of special ballots, making it more efficient and more likely to attract the participation of northern voters. The members of the standing committee considered the establishment of a new electoral official: the special ballots officer. This officer would be responsible for distributing and accepting all special ballots, for counting special ballots on polling day and communicating the count to the returning officers. In addition, this position would also have the authority to run mobile/advance polls. It is thought that this centralized service will result in faster turnaround of ballots by mail, could be established sooner and would be more efficient.

The committee agreed that the Chief Electoral Officer should be given the authority to use e-mail and Internet technologies for the distribution of special ballots, when the CEO is confident that the technology is secure enough for use.

In addition, the special ballots officer would be authorized to operate advance special mobile polls

for people who want to vote by special ballot, such as mobile polls at the mine sites or at NWT college campuses.

Special ballot mobile polls may be easier to deliver in our multi-electoral district setting than a regular mobile poll, as the officer does not need 19 ballot boxes and 19 different ballots. Polls could be held on both polling day and in advance of polling day and would be limited to people who are not resident in their home community at the time of the special poll. The poll locations would be established by regulation. The counting of ballots may not be able to include candidate’s agents; however, two “electors” could be identified and included as witnesses. Returning officers would no longer be responsible for special ballots. The NWT elections office would incur new travel costs for any special ballot polls.

The special ballots officer would only have jurisdiction in the NWT.

Recommendation 1

That the Elections and Plebiscites Act be amended to establish a special ballots officer that would be responsible for special ballots and would possess the authority to hold advance mobile and polling day polls for voters not resident in their home community on polling day and at locations identified in the regulations.

Recommendation 2

That the Elections and Plebiscites Act be amended to give the special ballots officer the authority to use e-mail and Internet technologies for the distribution of special ballots, when the Chief Electoral Officer is confident that the technology is secure enough for use.

Improving Enforcement

The current categorization of many of the offences listed in the Elections and Plebiscites Act could be changed to allow them to be prosecuted using a “strict liability” standard. A strict liability offence is one where a person is liable for the damage even if there is no negligence or fault. With a strict liability offence, the person charged has the ability to raise a defence of due diligence (meaning, they have done all that was reasonably possible in the circumstances to avoid the offence).

Further, additional amendments to the act should be made to allow the Chief Electoral Officer to:

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enter into compliance agreements,

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issue compliance orders, and

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issue formal cautions.

Another amendment would allow late fees to be imposed on late filers of elections expenses reporting.

All of these mechanisms would increase the variety of enforcement and prevention measures available to the Chief Electoral Officer.

Recommendation 3

That the Elections and Plebiscites Act be amended to change the act to allow as many offences as possible to be prosecuted using a strict liability standard and as many offences as possible to be prosecuted under the Summary Convictions Procedures Act.

Recommendation 4

That the Elections and Plebiscites Act be amended to give the Chief Electoral Officer the power to enter into compliance agreements, issue compliance orders and issue formal cautions.

Recommendation 5

That the Elections and Plebiscites Act be amended so that late fees could be imposed on late filers of elections expenses reporting.

Conclusion

This concludes the committee’s auxiliary report. It is hoped that the recommendations included in this report will support the Legislative Assembly in its desire to continually improve the processes used to administer territorial elections.

Mr. Speaker, that concludes the auxiliary report of the Standing Committee on Rules and Procedures on the Review of the Report of the Chief Electoral Officer on the Administration of the 2007 Election.

Therefore, I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Nahendeh, that Committee Report 5-16(3) be received by the Assembly and moved into Committee of the Whole for consideration. Thank you.

There is a motion on the floor. The motion is in order. To the motion.