Mahsi, Mr. Chair. I am pleased to introduce Bill 5, Apprenticeship, Trade and Occupations Certification Act. The purpose of this legislation is to provide a modern statutory framework governing the apprenticeship and occupation certification programs in the Northwest Territories, and to repeal the existing Apprenticeship, Trade and Occupations Certification Act.
The Department of Education, Culture and Employment commissioned a review of the apprenticeship, trade and occupations certification system in 2006 with a view to identifying those aspects of its programs that need to be revised to promote apprenticeship and occupations
certification in the Northwest Territories. The program review resulted in recommendations respecting changes to the act to strengthen the apprenticeship and occupation certification programs offered by the department.
This bill provides an updated regulatory framework from which the administration of the Apprenticeship, Trade and Occupations Certification Program in the Northwest Territories will be supported. The bill is substantively similar to the existing act, but does:
a) restructure
and
clarify substantive provisions
so that the legislation is easier to use and read than the existing act;
b) rename the statutory officer “Supervisor” as
“Director,” provide for the director to delegate powers or duties under the act, and clarify the wording respecting the director’s duties and powers;
c) clarify the composition of the Apprenticeship,
Trades and Occupations Certification Board and change the term of board appointments from two years to a term of up to three years;
d) expand the regulation-making authority for
occupations certification;
e) increase the maximum fine for failing to comply
with the act from $500 to $2,000;
f) replace provisions dealing with local
apprenticeship advisory committees with a broader provision allowing for the appointment of committees that can provide advice to the director on both apprenticeship and occupations certification matters;
g) replace a provision requiring parties to a
proposed apprenticeship contract to provide information required by the supervisor with a regulation-making authority that would deal with requirements within the Apprenticeship or Occupations Certification Program to provide specified information when required by the director; and
h) repeal
the
existing
Apprenticeship, Trade and
Occupations Certification Act.
I trust that the members of the committee will agree that the proposed bill represents a significant improvement in the manner in which the apprenticeship, trade and occupations certification programs are regulated in the Northwest Territories.
I would be pleased to answer any questions the Members may have.