Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I am sure that all the details of this particular undertaking will be ironed out, but I think it’s very important to make sure that there are ways of ensuring that people who want to sign on-line petitions identify themselves and their identity can be confirmed. Thank you.

To the motion. Premier Roland.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, I guess this is the one time I get to speak in Committee of the Whole to a motion. That reflects more on the Assembly as a whole and as Mrs. Groenewegen has stated, the verification of individuals who would sign on the website is going to be absolutely critical. The one thing I’ve seen, and I’m sure all of us have seen in this new world and this new technology that is ever changing, is there are so many opportunities and things happen so fast and there is a certain anonymity to the Internet world, as they say, that would be somewhat difficult to prove. Whereas in today’s environment, although cumbersome, the individual that signs is in the community and signs in front of someone, in a sense a witness. Whereas, the on-line world, you don’t know who truly is on the other side unless you can verify that in some substantive way.

So although Mr. Hawkins has talked about the rest of the world or North America paying attention to this, I think we’d better make sure we get our ducks lined up and make sure the appropriate measures are put in place so that someone doesn’t just go to a phone book in the NWT and pick a name and send it in on a website. Who’s to verify that signature is the accurate one? So it could be somewhat cumbersome as we go forward. So that’s a caution, I guess, that I would put to this. Thank you.

To the motion.

Question is being called.

---Carried

The motion is carried. Mr. Hawkins.

To the motion.

Question is being called.

---Carried

Does committee agree that we’ve concluded Committee Report 1-16(5)?

Agreed. Next on the list we’ve agreed to deal with is Committee Report 2-16(5). Mr. Hawkins.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, Committee Report 2-16(5), Report on the Use of Laptop Computers and Hand-Held Electronic Devices in the Legislative Assembly, was read into the record yesterday, May 19, 2010, and subsequently moved into Committee of the Whole for further discussion.

Mr. Chairman, I am now prepared to introduce four motions and recommendations by the Standing Committee on Rules and Procedures in their report. Thank you.

The motion is being circulated. Mr. Hawkins, are you making a motion?

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, I move that this committee recommends that the Members be permitted to use laptop computers and other hand-held electronic devices only during Committee of the Whole proceedings; and further, that laptop computers and other hand-held electronic communication devices are not to be used by a Member who has the floor; and further, that a Member who has the floor must have his or her laptop computer closed and/or his or her hand-held electronic device turned off.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

There is a motion on the floor. The motion is in order. To the motion.

Question has been called.

---Carried

Mr. Hawkins.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, I move that this committee recommends that any electronic device used in the Chamber must be on silent mode at all times.

There is a motion on the floor. The motion is in order. To the motion.

Question has been called.

---Carried

Mr. Hawkins.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, I move that this committee recommends that the use of laptop computers and hand-held electronic devices continue to be administered through the sole discretion of the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly or the chair of Committee of the Whole, and if the user of any electronic device is deemed to impinge on the decorum or dignity of the House, the offending Member may be ordered to discontinue use.

There is a motion on the floor. The motion is in order. To the motion.