This is page numbers 3073 - 3114 of the Hansard for the 16th Assembly, 3rd Session. The original version can be accessed on the Legislative Assembly's website or by contacting the Legislative Assembly Library. The word of the day was languages.

Topics

Committee Motion 27-16(3): Rules And Procedures Report 4-16(3): Mobile Poll, Carried
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

Some Hon. Members

Question.

Committee Motion 27-16(3): Rules And Procedures Report 4-16(3): Mobile Poll, Carried
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

The Chair

The Chair Bob Bromley

Question is being called.

---Carried

Mr. Hawkins.

Robert Hawkins

Robert Hawkins Yellowknife Centre

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I move that this committee recommends that the Elections and Plebiscite Act be amended to provide that only the Chief Electoral Officer has the authority to establish an advance poll. Thank you.

The Chair

The Chair Bob Bromley

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

Some Hon. Members

Question.

The Chair

The Chair Bob Bromley

Question is being called.

---Carried

Mr. Hawkins.

Robert Hawkins

Robert Hawkins Yellowknife Centre

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I move that this committee recommends that the Elections and Plebiscite Act be amended to direct that only the financial reporting status of elected members, not all candidates, be reported to the Clerk of the Legislative Assembly. Thank you.

The Chair

The Chair Bob Bromley

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

Glen Abernethy

Glen Abernethy Great Slave

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I guess my question, I don’t really have a question because you can really ask a question, but why? What is the point of this one? Seriously, other candidates are running, you know...I think it is fair to the public to have everybody know what they are spending on their campaigns. Not just those that are successful, but everybody. So I am curious as

to why this was out. I am not going to support it. Thank you Mr. Chairman.

The Chair

The Chair Bob Bromley

Thank you, Mr. Abernethy. Mr. Hawkins.

Robert Hawkins

Robert Hawkins Yellowknife Centre

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. This is about sitting Members, so once you are elected, it is about whether you filed. For those specific candidates who won, basically, and this is so those who were unsuccessful, if they haven’t filed it goes through a separate process and pursued separately by the Chief Electoral Officer. Because you could be deemed if you hadn’t filed your papers on time, you could be deemed in a way that you could not sit in your seat in the Assembly. It only really, in the end, applies to sitting Members. In the situation that if you hadn’t filed your papers and a report is made by the Chief Electoral Officer to the Clerk, they are the ones that would come down to you and say you are not allowed to sit until your papers are filed, so that doesn’t apply to those candidates who didn’t win or I should say who weren’t successful. So as far as anyone who doesn’t file their paperwork, it is pursued through the process of compliance and it is all made public. Thank you.

The Chair

The Chair Bob Bromley

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. To the motion.

Some Hon. Members

Question.

The Chair

The Chair Bob Bromley

Question is being called.

---Carried

Mr. Hawkins.

Robert Hawkins

Robert Hawkins Yellowknife Centre

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I move that this committee recommends that the housekeeping amendments which are identified by the Chief Electoral Officer on page 22 and 23 of the Report of the Chief Electoral Officer, be considered during the preparation of other amendments to the Elections and Plebiscite Act. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

The Chair

The Chair Bob Bromley

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

Some Hon. Members

Question.

The Chair

The Chair Bob Bromley

Question is being called.

---Carried

Mr. Hawkins.

Robert Hawkins

Robert Hawkins Yellowknife Centre

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I move that this committee recommends that the Chief Electoral Officer improve the reporting of results on election night to ensure that the election results are accurate and released in a timely fashion, and further, that the Chief Electoral Officer report back to the Standing Committee on Rules and Procedures before the end of 2009 about the changes in elections policies and procedures that will be made to ensure that improvements are realized. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

The Chair

The Chair Bob Bromley

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. The motion is in order. To the motion. Ms. Bisaro.

Wendy Bisaro

Wendy Bisaro Frame Lake

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I wanted comment on this recommendation particularly because it was a very difficult issue. It was a very large issue in the last election. The reporting of results on election night was pretty abysmal actually, and was one of the items that the committee felt quite strongly that the Chief Electoral Officer needed to do some work on. So I wanted to particularly note the second part of the motion, that the Chief Electoral Officer needs to report back to committee on what changes he or she is going to institute to make sure the reporting of results on election night are improved. So I fully support this motion. Thank you.

The Chair

The Chair Bob Bromley

Thank you, Ms. Bisaro. To the motion.

Some Hon. Members

Question.

The Chair

The Chair Bob Bromley

Question is being called.

---Carried

Mr. Hawkins.

Robert Hawkins

Robert Hawkins Yellowknife Centre

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I move that this committee recommends that the Chief Electoral Officer improve and clarify the communications from Elections NT for topics such as employers’ obligations, access to multiple residency buildings, office hours of Elections NWT offices, special ballots, mobile polls and signage requirements, and further, that clear and consistent information be available to all candidates and the public concerning initiation of a complaint, what happens to a complaint, the consequences of violating the Elections and Plebiscite Act, and

information on the decision and direction initiated by the Chief Electoral Officer. Thank you.