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

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 work to improve the performance of returning officers and other officials, through improved training materials and training programs. 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 increase the number of locations for early voting opportunities and increase the use of mobile polls such as at mine sites. 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 establish detailed requirements about signage and location of campaign activities as follows:

a) Signs of campaign activities are to be

prohibited within 25 metres of the front door of a polling station or the office of a returning officer; and,

b) The Chief Electoral Officer is to have the

authority to make exemptions from this requirement.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

The Chair

The Chair Bob Bromley

The motion is in order. To the motion. Ms. Lee.

Sandy Lee

Sandy Lee Range Lake

I’m just wondering if…I am not sure that section b) where it says: “The Chief Electoral Officer is to have the authority to make exemptions…” do we have any information on what basis would that CEO make exemptions? I know I can’t ask questions, but perhaps the other Members could raise their hands and speak on it.

---Laughter

The Chair

The Chair Bob Bromley

Thank you for that comment, Ms. Lee. Mr. Hawkins.

Robert Hawkins

Robert Hawkins Yellowknife Centre

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, in some particular cases, not all, obviously, the polling station is in a residential building and so, therefore, it could be reflected that someone lives there up maybe on a second, third or fourth floor and that would restrict them from having a poster in that window. In other cases, and I can give a specific example, in my riding one of the candidates running lived within the restricted zone where campaigning material had to be removed, therefore, they had to take it off their house. From my point of view, I thought that was kind of unfair, but that was the reality of the law at that time. Therefore, we’ve reduced the area, but we’ve also allowed the Chief Electoral Officer to make reasonable exemptions if they necessarily apply to a particular case. But, you know, in the discussion of lowering it down to 25 metres, we thought the exemptions would be extremely rare if there was one at all. We just didn’t want to tie their hands fully. As I tried to point out in the example, there probably are going to be cases why this may pop up once or twice if ever. So anyway, the moral of the story is, Mr. Chairman, because of similar examples as I have pointed out. Thank you.

The Chair

The Chair Bob Bromley

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. Ms. Bisaro.

Wendy Bisaro

Wendy Bisaro Frame Lake

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Just one small thing to add and I think it did occur in the last election. It so happened that a candidate’s office was within the restricted zone of the polling station but the office was there before the polling station was determined. So that would be another example where the Chief Electoral Officer could make an exemption. Thank you.

The Chair

The Chair Bob Bromley

Thank you, Ms. Bisaro. Ms. Lee.

Sandy Lee

Sandy Lee Range Lake

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Thank you for allowing me to speak again. I think we need to examine this motion. What we are asking the CEO to do, because we are not…

The Chair

The Chair Bob Bromley

Apologies, Ms. Lee, you are not allowed to speak twice to the motion. Thank you. To the motion.

Some Hon. Members

Question.

The Chair

The Chair Bob Bromley

Question is being called. Folks, we’ll do that again. Please hold your hands up high and steady. The motion is carried.

---Carried

Mr. Hawkins.

Committee Motion 36-16(3): Rules And Procedures Report 4-16(3): Identify Sponsorship Wording And Placement, Carried
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

May 27th, 2009

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 identify the exact wording regarding sponsorship which will be required on campaign material and the requirements for eligibility related to size and location of the information on the material. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

The Chair

The Chair Bob Bromley

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