This is page numbers 4285 - 4326 of the Hansard for the 17th Assembly, 5th 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 public.

Topics

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. The motion is in order. To the principle of the bill.

An Hon. Member

Question.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackie Jacobson

Question has been called. Bill 20 has had second reading and is deemed ready for third reading.

---Carried

Mr. Miltenberger.

Michael Miltenberger

Michael Miltenberger Thebacha

Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Tu Nedhe, that Bill 21, Supplementary Appropriation Act (Infrastructure Expenditures), No. 2, 2014-2015, be read for the second time.

This bill makes supplementary appropriations for infrastructure expenditures for the Government of the Northwest Territories for the 2014-2015 fiscal year. Thank you.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. The motion is in order. To the principle of the bill.

An Hon. Member

Question.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackie Jacobson

Question has been called. Bill 21 has had second reading and is deemed ready for third reading.

---Carried

Mr. Miltenberger.

Michael Miltenberger

Michael Miltenberger Thebacha

Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Kam Lake, that Bill 22, Supplementary Appropriation Act (Operations Expenditures), No. 4, 2012-2013, be read for the second time.

This bill makes supplementary appropriations for operations expenditures for the Government of the Northwest Territories for the 2012-2013 fiscal year. Thank you.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. The motion is in order. To the principle of the bill.

An Hon. Member

Question.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackie Jacobson

Question has been called. Bill 22 has had second reading and is deemed ready for third reading.

---Carried

Mr. Miltenberger.

Michael Miltenberger

Michael Miltenberger Thebacha

Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Monfwi, that Bill 23, Supplementary Appropriation Act (Operations Expenditures), No. 4, 2013-2014, be read for the second time.

This bill makes supplementary appropriations for operations expenditures for the Government of the Northwest Territories for the 2013-2014 fiscal year. Thank you.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. The motion is in order. To the principle of the bill.

An Hon. Member

Question.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackie Jacobson

Question has been called. Bill 23 has had second reading and is deemed ready for third reading.

---Carried

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Item 20, consideration in Committee of the Whole of bills and other matters, with Mrs. Groenewegen in the chair.

Consideration In Committee Of The Wholeof Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Wholeof Bills And Other Matters

Page 4294

The Chair

The Chair Jane Groenewegen

I would like to call Committee of the Whole to order. What is the wish of the committee today? Ms. Bisaro.

Consideration In Committee Of The Wholeof Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Wholeof Bills And Other Matters

Page 4294

Wendy Bisaro

Wendy Bisaro Frame Lake

Thank you, Madam Chair. We would like to consider Committee Report 3-17(5), the report on the review of Bills 1, 2, 3 and other devolution legislation and, if we have time, Bills 10, 11 and 14.

Consideration In Committee Of The Wholeof Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Wholeof Bills And Other Matters

Page 4294

The Chair

The Chair Jane Groenewegen

Thank you, Ms. Bisaro. Does committee agree?

Consideration In Committee Of The Wholeof Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Wholeof Bills And Other Matters

Page 4294

Some Hon. Members

Agreed.

Consideration In Committee Of The Wholeof Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Wholeof Bills And Other Matters

Page 4294

The Chair

The Chair Jane Groenewegen

Thank you. We will proceed with that after a brief break. Thank you.

---SHORT RECESS

Consideration In Committee Of The Wholeof Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Wholeof Bills And Other Matters

Page 4294

The Chair

The Chair Jane Groenewegen

I'd like to call Committee of the Whole back to order. The report of the Standing Committee on Priorities and Planning, the Report of Bills 1, 2, 3 and Other Legislation to Implement Devolution of Lands and Resources Responsibility to the GNWT has already been read into the record. Ms. Bisaro.

Consideration In Committee Of The Wholeof Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Wholeof Bills And Other Matters

Page 4294

Wendy Bisaro

Wendy Bisaro Frame Lake

Thank you, Madam Chair. Are we doing comments or are we going right to the motion?

Consideration In Committee Of The Wholeof Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Wholeof Bills And Other Matters

Page 4294

The Chair

The Chair Jane Groenewegen

If you'd like to do general comments, please. I thought... Yes, general comments. Ms. Bisaro.

Consideration In Committee Of The Wholeof Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Wholeof Bills And Other Matters

Page 4294

Wendy Bisaro

Wendy Bisaro Frame Lake

Thanks, Madam Chair. I just thought there might be some Members who might like to make a few comments on the process and so on.

The report lays out pretty well, I think, and in a fair bit of detail the process we had to follow. Bills 1, 2 and 3 followed our normal process. They were read in the House to second reading and then referred to committee, and committee held a public hearing and asked for comment from the public, then held a public hearing and then reported it back to the House as ready for third reading.

But the other seven bills, the process has been kind of hijacked, I guess, is the best way of putting it. We didn't do it willingly, I guess. It's a matter of time. We didn't have the time in which we could properly consider these other bills; we didn't have time to refer them to committee; we didn't have time for public consultation. We agreed, as committee, that we would have these bills go directly into Committee of the Whole and bypass the consideration by committee at that stage.

I think the major concern for me, and I think for committee as well, and I think it's expressed in the report, is that even though these are mirror bills, there is an interest on the part of the public and there is an interest on the part of Members to look at the NWT bills and to determine whether or not there are some gaps in these bills, whether or not there are some statements in these bills that maybe we don't agree with from a territorial perspective. They may work in a federal perspective, but if they're going to be ours, do we totally agree with what's in this legislation? Not to change it at this point but to have some things on the record so that in future, when we are looking at the legislation, we can go back and say, well, in 2014 we did have representation from various people who said this is not quite what we want in legislation, this is not quite what we want in this piece of this legislation and we then have a bit of a base on which to start and look at changes to the legislation.

The fact that we couldn't do that while we're considering the bills is a bit of a concern. There is a recommendation in the report, in a motion that I will read shortly, that specifically recommends that we have a very public review and a very broad review across the territory for all these pieces of legislation, which we haven't been able to review as a comment. We can't do that until after April 1st. But as of April 1st when the bills become ours, we can then start the process of reviewing them in consultation with the public and come up with some potential amendments.

I don't know, Madam Chair, if you want me to read this motion now, or if we go to other comments from people.

Consideration In Committee Of The Wholeof Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Wholeof Bills And Other Matters

Page 4294

The Chair

The Chair Jane Groenewegen

Thank you, Ms. Bisaro. General comments. Mr. Dolynny.