Mahsi, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, I am pleased to be here today to speak about Bill 10, Exemptions Act. I would like to thank the Standing Committee on Social Programs for its review of this bill.

The Exemptions Act is used when one person owes money to another. It limits the types and amount of property that can be seized or garnisheed by a creditor as part of the enforcement process. The current act was enacted in 1948 and is now very out of date. The amounts of money and categories of property that can be kept haven’t changed since then, other than a change to the amount of wages that the debtor can keep in each pay period.

The main purpose of the bill is to set out exemptions amounts for categories of property under the current act. The bill also updates the categories and descriptions of property that are exempt from seizure. The new act strikes a balance between the rights of creditors to enforce a debt and the need for debtors to maintain enough assets and income to live, provide for their dependents, and maintain a means to repay the debt. For example, debtors will be able to keep things like medical aids and property traditionally used in subsistence hunting or fishing.

The need to update the existing Exemptions Act has been raised by Members of past Legislative Assemblies, and the bill before you meets the commitment Justice made to amend the legislation during this Assembly.

I would be pleased to answer any questions that the committee members may have regarding Bill 10. Mahsi.

Thank you, Mr. Minister. With that, I’d like to ask the chair of the standing committee that reviewed the bill if he has any comments on the bill. Mr. Beaulieu.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, the Standing Committee on Social Programs conducted its public review of Bill 10, Exemptions Act, on February 17, 2010. The

committee would like to thank the Minister and his staff for presenting the bill.

The bill repeals and replaces the existing Exemptions Act. In the new act, property categories that are exempt from legal seizure are expanded to include types of property essential for subsistence of the debtor and his or her dependents. The Public Service Garnishee Act is also amended.

Following discussions which took place during the public review, the committee will be moving an amendment to include trapping in the description of subsistence activities included in the bill.

Following the committee’s review, a motion was carried to report Bill 10, Exemptions Act, to the Assembly as ready for consideration in Committee of the Whole.

This concludes the committee’s opening comments on Bill 10. Individual Members may have additional questions or comments as we proceed. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu. I’d like to ask the Minister of Justice if he will be bringing in any witnesses. Mr. Lafferty.

Yes, Mr. Chair.

Does committee agree the Minister brings in his witnesses?

Sergeant-at-Arms, please escort the witnesses in.

Mr. Minister, can you introduce your witnesses, please?

Mahsi, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, to my right is Ian Rennie, legislative counsel, legislation division. To my left is Mike Reddy, senior policy analyst, policy and planning division. Mahsi.

Thank you, Mr. Minister. Welcome, witnesses. General comments on Bill 10, Exemptions Act. Detail? Can we turn to page 1, Bill 10, Exemptions Act, clause 1.

Clause 2, Mr. Bromley.

Motion is being circulated. Motion is in order. To the motion.

Question is being called.

---Carried

Clause 2 as amended.

Clause 3.

---Clauses 3 through 12 inclusive approved

The bill as a whole, as amended.

Does committee agree that Bill 10 as amended is ready for third reading?

Bill 10 as amended is ready for third reading.

With that, I’d like to thank the Minister, thank the witnesses. Sergeant-at-Arms, could you escort the witnesses out?

The next item we agreed to deal with is Committee Report 5-16(4), Report and Review of the 2008-2009 Human Rights Commission Annual Report. With that, I’d like to pass it over to Mr. Menicoche.

Thank you very much, Mr. Chair. On Thursday, February 11, 2010, the Standing Committee on Government Operations tabled its report 5-16(4) on the Review of the Human Rights Commission 2008-2009 Annual Report, which includes two recommendations. It was read into the record by members of the standing committee and a motion was passed that moved the report into Committee of the Whole. Thank you, Mr. Chair.