Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wish to table the following document entitled Minister of Transportation’s Report to the Legislative Assembly for 2008 on Transportation of Dangerous Goods, 1990. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Item 15, notices of motion. Item 16, notices of motion for first reading of bills. Item 17, motions. The honourable Member for Frame Lake, Ms. Bisaro.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I MOVE, seconded by the honourable Member for Thebacha, that, notwithstanding Rule 4, when this House adjourns on March 12, 2009, it shall be adjourned until Wednesday, May 27, 2009.

AND FURTHER, that any time prior to May 27, 2009, if the Speaker is satisfied, after consultation with the Executive Council and Members of the Legislative Assembly, that the public interest requires that the House should meet at an earlier time during the adjournment, the Speaker may give notice and thereupon the House shall meet at the time stated in such notice and shall transact its business as it has been duly adjourned to that time.

Thank you, Ms. Bisaro. The motion is on the floor. The motion is in order. To the motion.

Question has been called.

---Carried

The honourable Member for Yellowknife Centre, Mr. Hawkins.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

WHEREAS the cost of most goods and services in the Northwest Territories is increased by the addition of the federal Goods and Services Tax;

AND WHEREAS the Northern Residents Deduction only provides financial relief to Northerners at tax time and does not have an impact on the day-to-day cost to operate a home or business;

AND WHEREAS the costs of essential goods and services in the Northwest Territories are among the most expensive in the country;

AND WHEREAS the high costs of heating oil and electricity are of serious concern to all Northwest Territories residents;

AND WHEREAS the costs to transport goods both to the North and within the Territory are significant and ultimately add costs to goods and services bought by northern residents and businesses;

AND WHEREAS the Legislative Assembly of the Yukon passed a motion on May 8, 2008, calling for the three northern territories to jointly lobby the federal government for the removal of the GST on home heating fuel, power costs and the cost of transportation;

AND WHEREAS the removal of the GST on certain essential goods and services would acknowledge the high cost of living experienced by Northwest Territories residents;

AND WHEREAS it is in Canada’s interest in the name of national sovereignty that Canadians are living and working throughout our northern lands of Canada;

AND WHEREAS the estimated GST revenue collected from the NWT is $44 million, and the estimated combined GST revenue from the three territories transferred to Canada is less than $120 million;

AND WHEREAS one of the priorities of the 16th Legislative Assembly is to reduce the cost of living for Northwest Territories residents;

AND WHEREAS this Assembly supports pan-territorial efforts to address common issues affecting residents of all three northern territories;

NOW THEREFORE I MOVE, seconded by the honourable Member for Kam Lake, that this Assembly signify its commitment to work with the governments of Nunavut and the Yukon Territory in

lobbying the federal government to remove the GST from the cost of home heating fuel, electricity and the cost of transporting goods to and within the Northwest Territories;

AND FURTHER, that a copy of this motion be provided to the federal Minister of Finance, Members of Parliament for the Northwest Territories, Nunavut and Yukon, and the governments of Nunavut and the Yukon Territory.

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. The motion is on the floor. The motion is in order. To the motion.

Question has been called.

---Carried

The honourable Member for Nahendeh, Mr. Menicoche.

Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. The motion is on the floor. The motion is in order. To the motion.

Question has been called.

---Carried

The honourable Member for Nunakput, Mr. Jacobson.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

WHEREAS Subsection 15(1) of the Official Languages Act permits the appointment of a Languages Commissioner by the Commissioner of the Northwest Territories, after the approval of the appointment by resolution of the Legislative Assembly;

AND WHEREAS the Legislative Assembly considers the appointment of a Languages Commissioner essential for ensuring recognition of the rights, status and privileges of each of the official languages and compliance with the spirit and intent of the Official Languages Act;

AND WHEREAS the term of the Languages Commissioner has expired;

AND WHEREAS the Legislative Assembly is of the opinion that the appointment of a Languages Commissioner should now be made;

NOW THEREFORE I MOVE, seconded by the honourable Member for Kam Lake, that pursuant to Section 15 of the Official Languages Act of the Northwest Territories, Sarah Jerome of Inuvik be appointed as Languages Commissioner.

AND FURTHER, that the appointment be effective May 11, 2009.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Jacobson. The motion is on the floor. The motion is in order. To the motion.

Question has been called.

---Carried

Item 18, first reading of bills. The honourable Minister of Finance, Mr. Miltenberger.

Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Deh Cho, that Bill 16, Supplementary Appropriation (Infrastructure Expenditures), No. 1, 2009-2010, be read for the first time. Thank you.

Bill 16, Supplementary Appropriation (Infrastructure Expenditures), No. 1, 2009-2010 has had first reading.

---Carried

Item 19, second reading of bills. The honourable Minister of Finance, Mr. Miltenberger.

Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Deh Cho, that Bill 16, Supplementary Appropriation (Infrastructure Expenditures), No. 1, 2009-2010, be read for the second time.

Mr. Speaker, the purpose of this bill makes supplementary appropriations for infrastructure expenditures for the Government of the Northwest Territories for the 2009-2010 fiscal year. Thank you.

Bill 16, Supplementary Appropriation (Infrastructure Expenditures) No. 1, 2009-2010, has had second reading.

---Carried

Item 20, consideration in Committee of the Whole of bills and other matters: Tabled Document 7-16(3), Ministerial Benefits Policy; and Committee Report 4-16(3), Standing Committee on Rules and Procedures Report on the Review of the Report of the Chief Electoral Officer on the Administration of the 2007 Election, with Mr. Bromley in the chair.

I’d like to call Committee of the Whole to order. We have before us for consideration Tabled Document 7-16(3) and Committee 4-16(3). What is the wish of the committee? Mrs. Groenewegen.

Mr. Chairman, the wish of the committee is to deal with the Report on the Review of the Report of the Chief Electoral Officer on the Administration of the 2007 Election. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.